Old Men
by tinclay
Summary: This is set sometime in the future. Richard Grayson is an old man and when Slade shows up with a proposition that will give the old hero another chance at life, he willingly accepts the offer. This continues the story "Old Men" which is chapter 4 of my drabble collection. No smex, but plenty of innuendos and hints. Slade does love to ruffle feathers.
1. Chapter 1

This is for **Kawaii-Kuro** for winning the 2011 Halloween contest on DA. Yay! Congratulations! Halloween you ask? Yes, I know that was a really long time ago, but there has been a lot going on and insert a long list of excuses here :/ But, better late than never, right? _Right!?_ I hope you like it, **Kawaii-Kuro**! I'm sorry I took so long, but hopefully the wait was kind of worth it.

Well, **Kawaii-Kuro** wanted me to continue "Old Men" so, here it is! You can find the first part of "Old Men" over in my drabble collection (it is story 4). You can read this without reading the drabble and you'll be just fine, but it would help if you read it first since it sets up this whole story.

This turned into a chaptered story. The chapters are short at first, but I will be updating once a week to make up for it.

**Warnings:** No. Yes. Well, sort of. This is mostly just angsty and serious, but there are heavy innuendos here and there, but no smex. Ok, so warnings for the innuendos... and for some other stuff :P

~oOo~

Richard stared out of the window, watching the rainwater run in rivulets across the glass as the car sped down the road. He had followed Slade into the back of the small, but luxurious, limousine without any hesitation.

He made his decision.

He had watched Bruce deteriorate. He was there, holding the man's hand when he died. Now there was no one left. He was the last of his friends, family, and mentors. Hell, there weren't even any villains left to miss him when he dies. Bruce's death had left him with no one else to mourn his passing.

No one except Slade, that is.

Bruce begged Richard not to accept the mercenary's offer. The Lazerus Pits were dangerous and the super serum that coursed through Slade's veins was even more unpredictable. But what did Richard have to lose? He had lived his whole life by Bruce's morals and values. This time, he was going to play by his own rules. He was being offered a second chance at life and he wasn't going to pass on the opportunity to start over, even if the offer came from the devil himself.

Richard turned his head to look at Slade. The man was sitting across from him with an ankle resting on his knee and an arm stretched out along the back of his seat. He was staring out of the opposite window, but he turned his head to meet Richard's gaze when he felt the old hero's attention on him.

"Nice suit," Richard commented casually as his blue eyes scanned down the expensive black material that made his own black suit look like something from a second hand store. It gave Slade the appearance of being a refined, distinguished, wealthy businessman, even though he was actually a rugged, merciless, brutal murderer.

Slade smirked and gave a slight nod of his head in thanks. "It belonged to Bruce. I stole it years ago when I crashed one of his soirées. It seemed only appropriate that I should wear it to his funeral."

Richard's eyes narrowed, creating deeper wrinkles. "You evil bastard," he seethed, his voice sounding gravelly with age. "Take off the suit, before I tear it off of you myself."

Slade chuckled. "Patience, Grayson. There will be plenty of time for _that_ once you have regained your youth."

"I don't know if I'll be able to wait that long," Richard growled, clenching the handle of his cane tighter.

"I know it's hard to suppress certain urges when you're in my presence, but we wouldn't want you to break a hip if I got a little too rough."

"I'm sure it would be worth it," Richard glared.

"What were we talking about again?" Slade asked with a leer.

"Kicking your ass," Richard retorted, angrily.

"Ah, yes... Well if you insist on getting me out of this suit, I promise to hand it over once we board my jet, but until then, you'll just have to imagine I'm naked," the man smirked.

"Fine. But I'm imagining _your_ head on... on... Oh, what's the name?" Richard frowned in thought and lowered his gaze to stare at the floor, causing a few strands of his gray hair to fall across his eyes.

Slade's eye narrowed slightly, studying Richard's old, wrinkled face, but he remained silent.

"Well I had something really insulting, but it's gone now," Richard let out a sigh. "I'm too old for these games, Slade," he said tiredly, and leaned back in his seat.

"You're too old for a lot of things right now, Grayson. But you'll be back to being able to keep up with me soon enough," Slade smiled.

"Don't look so damn smug about it," Richard shot Slade a glare and then turned his face away to stare out of the window again.

Slade frowned and let out a sigh. "Richard, I understand that you think I am somehow winning and you are feeling a little angry with me because of that, but just so we're clear, I'm not forcing you to do this. I _could_, but I won't. This is _your_ choice and you are free to change your mind at anytime. I'll have my driver drop you off wherever you'd like," Slade waved a hand.

Richard shook his head. "No, I haven't changed my mind. Even if you _were _somehow winning... I still want this. But I don't appreciate the 'I could make you if I wanted to' comments, so shove those up your ass, ok?" Richard smiled pleasantly.

"At _your_ age I would have thought you grew out of that smart-assed, disrespectful mentality."

"Nope. I just perfected it, like aging a fine wine," Richard smirked.

Slade only chuckled, though Richard thought he caught a sinister gleam in the man's eye.

They arrived at the airport a short while later. Richard followed Slade up the stairs and into his private jet where the old hero sunk down into a squishy recliner, breathing rather heavily.

Slade stopped next to Richard's chair, staring down at his wrinkly face with a raised brow. "After everything you have survived over the years, it's funny that a few stairs could be the death of you."

Richard opened an eye to look up at Slade. "I'm," _huff_-_pant_, "fine. Just need to... catch my breath."

Slade smirked and reached a hand down towards the lapel of Richard's jacket. "Would you like me to help you catch it?" the man asked while he slipped his fingers under the edge of Richard's suit.

Richard was momentarily stunned and his breath did indeed catch in his throat. On instinct, his hand shot up to grip Slade's wrist and he quickly came to his senses, giving the man a dark glare.

Slade, still smirking, pulled his hand out from inside Richard's suit, bringing a small orange pill bottle out of the inner pocket. "You should probably take one of these now if you want to avoid receiving mouth-to-mouth later."

Richard released Slade's wrist and took the bottle from the man's hand. "Can you not stand over me like that? You're giving me flashbacks," Richard tapped the man's leg with his cane, urging him to move aside.

Suddenly, Richard felt a slight whoosh of air and he found himself blinking down at the point of a thin blade from where it was sticking out of the end of his cane. His eyes followed the length of his cane up to the handle that was now in Slade's hand.

"Sorry about that," Slade smirked. "Flashbacks," He lowered the cane, pressing the hidden button that retracted the secret blade, then he held it out to Richard.

Richard took his cane and watched Slade walk over to a narrow doorway that led into a small bedroom. "You may be superior in strength and speed, Slade, but I'm not a kid anymore. You don't scare me." He popped open the lid to the pill bottle and tipped it up to his mouth, swallowing one of the pills.

Slade chuckled from inside the bedroom. "Perhaps I don't _want_ to scare you anymore," Slade called out loudly, so Richard could still hear him while he changed clothes. "Perhaps I no longer need you to be afraid of me. Perhaps I lost the desire to use fear to obtain your submission," Slade laughed quietly. "Perhaps you and I can forget about all the threats, the forced obedience, the... domination. Perhaps we can move past all that."

Richard heard a few faint clicks of metal on metal and then Slade emerged from the bedroom dressed in his full uniform with his hands clasped behind his back. Richard's eyes widened as the masked mercenary walked up to tower over him.

Slade tilted his head, staring down into Richard's wide blue eyes. The mercenary smirked behind his mask. "Or perhaps not."

Richard blinked, tearing his gaze away from the steely blue eye that stared down at him from the black and copper mask, and then he realized that Slade was holding Bruce's suit out for him, but he hadn't even noticed. He cleared his throat and reached for the clothes, taking them from Slade's gloved hand.

"Hmph," Slade snorted quietly, amused, and then he turned to sit in the chair across from Richard. He settled into the chair lazily, with his armored thighs spread slightly and both elbows resting on the chair arms. He laced his fingers together in his lap and returned his gaze to Richard's bright blue eyes.

"You haven't changed," Slade said, amusement laced in his tone.

"Just because your mask caught me off guard, doesn't mean-"

"No, no, I'm not talking about that. I was talking about your eyes. The rest of you is deteriorating, wasting away, but your eyes haven't faded at all. They're still the same sharp, intelligent, and clever eyes that matched glares with me all those years ago when you were a mere child."

Richard raised his bushy gray brows. "You sound infatuated, Slade."

"It's not infatuation, dear boy. It's admiration. I have a great deal of respect for you, Richard."

"You really know how to make an old man blush." Richard dead panned. "Please stop before one thing leads to another and we end up hugging it out. Really. Please. Stop."

Slade chuckled. "I know I had an odd way of showing it. You have every right to be bitter, Richard. I hope to set everything straight between us after I restore your youth."

"One act of selflessness won't erase years of selfish acts, Slade."

"Ooh, clever. Did you just make that up all by yourself?"

"No, it was something Bruce used to say during his charity speeches," a small smile touched the old man's lips.

"That reminds me," Slade got up and opened a drawer. He pulled out a stack of papers and a pen and walked over to hand them to Richard.

"What's this?" he asked, taking the papers and pen.

Slade settled down in his chair again and met Richards gaze. "It's a contract, naming me as your sole beneficiary. It will give me control of your entire estate, finances, inheritance, stocks, and even your debts."

Richard stared at Slade blankly for a moment, unmoving, before he finally spoke. "How the hell did Bruce and his charity speeches remind you of_ this_?!"

"Because assuming all of your financial responsibilities is a very charitable thing for me to do."

Richard frowned and tilted his head slightly in confusion.

Slade chuckled. "Think about it... Everyone knows who you are. Richard Grayson is Bruce Wayne's ward, a wrinkly old man. What do you think will happen when a healthy young male walks into the bank to make a withdrawal using Richard Grayson's fingerprints and identification?"

Richard's eyebrows shot up.

"Exactly," Slade hissed. "The world will want to know how you regained your youth. Governments will demand answers and things could get rather messy. It will be easier if you just have access to the accounts I create for you and you maintain a low profile for a few years."

Richard's eyes narrowed in thought while he mulled over Slade's words for a few moments before he finally spoke. "I suppose people might become suspicious if Richard Grayson never stops making withdrawals."

"But, if Richard Grayson were to suddenly die without a beneficiary, the government would seize your accounts and you would be left with nothing. Of course, you could always start your new life at the bottom. I would be more than happy to assist you in adjusting to your new... position. You might even learn to enjoy the experience," Slade smirked.

Richard arched a bushy gray brow. "So what, exactly, was the plan?"

"The plan is for you to sign everything over to me, then I produce a death certificate for the old you and once your youth is restored we create an updated birth year for the younger Richard Grayson. Then, I will give you access to everything that was yours and you move on with your existence. Your identity and accounts will be protected, kept hidden within several of my companies, all untraceable, I might add."

Richard looked down at the papers. He quickly browsed through the legal jargon and then he looked back up at Slade. "Is this a ploy to take my money, Slade?"

Slade's eye narrowed. "Richard, I have more money than I know what to do with. You _know_ that. I promise I won't touch one cent of yours. I am merely holding it for you, keeping it safe until I can return it to you. Someone has to look out for your... assets."

"You thought of everything, haven't you?" Richard's tone sounded more accusing than appreciative.

"Always do."

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" he asked in the same accusing tone.

"None that will work out in your favor."

"Hmm, risk losing everything to the government, or losing everything to you."

"Decisions, decisions," Slade purred, amusement laced heavily in his tone.

Richard sighed and touched the pen to the paper. "Well, out with the old and in with the new, I suppose," he said as he scribbled his signature across the bottom of the document.

No sooner had Richard lifted the pen from the paper than Slade's hand suddenly snatched them from his grasp. Richard hadn't even heard Slade move. He looked up to see the man walking over to a counter lined with various electronic devices. Slade punched some numbers into a fax machine and slipped the papers into the scanner, then he folded the papers and placed them in a pouch at his belt.

"There," Slade gave the pouch a gentle pat and returned to his chair. "Nice and safe."

Richard smiled at the man, trying to shake the feeling that everything was anything _but _nice and safe.

~oOo~

To be continued...

I have plans for this story :) I hope you all like it. Well, I'm writing it anyway, even if you hate it, but it would make me happy if you liked it ;)

I have to thank **Kawaii-Kuro** for winning the contest and prompting me to write this for her prize. She just asked for a part two and I started writing and went crazy and ended up with a bunch of chapters. It's going to be a prize that lasts a long while :)

If you have questions, comments, or concerns now is the time to bring them up. Please review! I don't always have time to reply to every review, but I read them all and they help keep me going.


	2. Chapter 2

Howdy.

This chapter is more interaction between Slade and Richard. I realize that the first couple of chapters are kind of slow and boring, but they're necessary. Don't worry. Stuff will happen soon.

Just immerse yourself in the conversations and emotions between these two old men for now. *dodges the swipe of a sword* AAAHH! I mean one old man and whatever Slade is! *evades another swipe* Ok, one old man and one tall, sexy, distinguished older man who's not an old man, just older than some middle-aged men who- *sword slices off tinclay's head*

O_O ...shit...

~oOo~

The jet landed on an airstrip somewhere in South America. In the old days, Richard wouldn't even have gotten on the plane without first mapping out their exact route to their destination, but now that he didn't have anything left to lose, he didn't much care _where_ Slade was taking him.

Richard left Bruce's suit on the plane, since Slade said that they would return to it when they concluded their business in a few days, then they hurried from the plane over to a waiting helicopter. Slade spoke to the pilot in Portuguese and they took off.

The helicopter flew them out across miles of dense jungle before reaching an area of foothills below a cluster of massive mountain peaks. The pilot landed in a small patch of grass and waited long enough for Richard and Slade to get clear before it took off again.

Richard watched it disappear over the trees and then he turned to Slade. The man had removed his mask and attached it to his belt at his hip.

"Are we... alone?" Richard asked, deducing that Slade took his mask off because there was no one around to see his face.

"Yes. Only _I _know the Lazerus' location. The pilot thinks we're here on a hunting trip," Slade grinned. "A little father and son bonding time before my old man kicks the bucket."

Richard rolled his eyes. "What happens when he returns and I'm not old enough to be your father anymore?"

"Then we switch roles," Slade said and started off towards the mountains, "then I will be _your_ daddy," the man flashed a smirk over his shoulder.

"You're grounded," Richard stated flatly.

Slade chuckled.

"Won't the pilot remember us?" Richard asked, following after Slade.

"Don't worry. We will have a different pilot. The company I use has specific people who are assigned only for drop offs and then others who make pick ups. The next pilot will only be expecting a father and son."

Richard's eyes narrowed. "Sounds like they make it pretty easy to cover your tracks."

"Of course they do. They are a pretty shady company, after all."

"When is he coming back to get us?"

"When I decide we're ready to go," Slade held a branch aside for Richard.

"When _you_ decide?" Richard asked, glancing at the man as he passed and then he waited for Slade to take the lead again.

"I'm the one with the communicator. The helicopter will return to pick us up when _I_ call."

"Right. Of course," Richard said quietly, though he really didn't agree with the man at all.

They walked through a mile or so of the jungle in silence before they came to a cliff side riddled with uneven, jagged rocks and boulders. Slade hopped down from the small rock ledge and then he turned around to look up at Richard.

"I can't just jump down there, Slade!" Richard shouted at him, annoyed. "Are you insane?! I'm an old man! My back is killing me, my knees are about to give out, and I am literally sweating to death in this damn jungle humidity!"

"Come on, I'll catch you," Slade held his hands out with a small smirk.

"I'm not... You can't just... Isn't there...? Oh, hell!" Richard finally gave in. He carefully crouched down and then half slid, half fell down the side of the rock.

Slade easily caught the old man, bridal style.

"This is so embarrassing," Richard muttered as Slade lowered his feet to the ground. "I used to be able to dive off the edge of sky scrapers. Now look at me." He steadied himself with his cane, while Slade kept a hand on his back.

"I understand your frustration, Richard," Slade said while he took the liberty to dust off the back of Richard's suit, which knocked the old man off balance. He quickly gripped Richard by his upper arm to keep him from falling.

"Thanks," Richard muttered, tilting his head to look up at the taller man.

"I think it's best if I just hold onto you until we get over these rocks. I wouldn't want you getting hurt."

Richard let out a sigh and nodded in agreement, then the two men set off across the rocky terrain.

Richard almost fell, only once, as they made their way to the cliff side. Slade easily lifted him up over the rocks and managed to keep him from falling by the hand gripping his arm. Richard's cheeks reddened at being lifted and carried like he was a child. Sure, Richard was relatively smaller, when compared to Slade; the man was 6'4" and twice Richard's weight in muscle, while Richard was a mere 5'10" and had probably shrunk some with age, but that didn't make the situation less embarrassing.

Eventually they made it to a small cave. They ducked down into the mouth of the cave, but once inside, the tunnel opened up into a vast cavern with a smooth floor. The deeper they went, the darker it got until Richard couldn't see anymore and he came to a stop.

"Slade? Where are you? I can't tell where I'm going. Can I get some light?"

"Patience, Grayson." Slade's icy voice echoed eerily through the cave as he slipped his hand around Richard's upper arm, startling the old man. "Don't be afraid. I've got you."

"That's not very reassuring," Richard grumbled, eliciting a quiet chuckle from Slade.

Richard allowed him to lead him through the darkness until they came to an abrupt stop. He heard a rapid succession of beeps and then a large door suddenly slid open directly in front of his face, flooding his vision with a bright light.

"Ah!" Richard stepped back in surprise, only to press back against Slade.

Slade chuckled and pushed Richard forward a bit, encouraging him to walk through the open door.

"Welcome, Richard, to the beginning of your new life," Slade said while leaving Richard's side to walk over to a large panel of flashing lights and buttons.

Richard walked into the huge open cavern with wide eyes. There were lights shining down from the walls, and the floor was flat and tiled. The air was comfortable from a temperature controlled system. There was even a small living area in the far corner with a kitchen and table, an open door that led into a large bathroom, and another door next to it that led into a carpeted bedroom.

As Richard walked around a tall computer tower, his eyes settled on the green glow of the bubbling Lazerus Pit.

"Amazing," he whispered and walked over to lean on the hand rails and peer into the pit. "You were telling the truth," he muttered to himself, though Slade heard.

"You still doubted me?" the man asked, coming to stand next to Richard with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Don't take it so personally. You and I have a lot of history filled with lies, deceit and betrayal... The things you've put me through," Richard lowered his gaze and shook his head.

"Oh come now, Richard, it wasn't _all_ bad," Slade smirked. "I made things interesting. I kept you on your toes, kept you... stimulated. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have matured into the man you became."

"Conflicted and confused?" Richard glared. "I liked my world just fine when it was in plain old black and white. Then _you_ came along and made everything turn gray. You made me question everything about myself."

"Everything?" Slade raised a white brow.

"Every damn thing," Richard averted his eyes as a slight blush colored his wrinkled cheeks, but whether it was from anger or embarrassment at the confession's implications, not even Richard was sure.

Slade grinned. "Same old bird," he chuckled.

Richard stared down into the green pit. "Not for long. Let's get on with this before I come to my senses."

"Of course," Slade nodded and walked over to a platform with a few levers. He pulled on one and a square shaped metal box lowered down from above them to settle on the platform next to him. Slade walked over to it and lifted the latch to pull the front of the box open.

"Hop in," the man smirked.

Richard stepped up next to him and looked inside at the metal chair and shackles. "What's this?"

"You're familiar with the effects that the Lazerus Pits have on the mind, correct?"

"Oh, I'm _very_ familiar," Richard agreed. "Are you talking about how they cause temporary psychosis?" Hell, he knew everything there was to know about the pits after dealing with Ra's al Ghul for so many years. He knew about the after effects of the pit. He also knew that at his age he should end up in his early-twenties if he stayed submerged for as long as possible before drowning, which he was perfectly happy about, and he knew that a second dunk in the same pit meant death.

"Yes. Well, locking you to the chair inside this box is for your own protection. There is the possibility you will experience a momentary laps in judgement and attempt to leave the pit too soon before you have fully regained your youth. With the shackles I can control how long you are submerged in order to prevent your untimely departure. You only get one shot at this... I'm sure you would prefer not to waste it."

Richard stared at the shackles for a moment, before giving a small shrug. "Makes sense, I guess. You really did think of everything," the old man smirked at Slade and then he took a step towards the chair.

"Not so fast," Slade put a hand on Richard's shoulder. "You need to take off your clothes first."

"What? Really?"

"It's safer that way. Unstable chemical compounds and all that, you understand," the man smirked. "So strip."

"Why do I have the feeling this is some sort of pay back for making you take off Bruce's suit?" his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"It isn't, but I'll promise to picture your head on someone else's body, if that makes you feel any better."

"That depends on whose body," Richard bent over to set his cane down and then he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"How about mine?" Slade smirked.

"I don't think that's a safe alternative for me, considering how much you love yourself," he pulled his shirt off revealing a thin white tank top underneath.

Slade chuckled, his eye roaming over Richard's torso. "Lucky for you, my imagination isn't _that_ strong."

Richard kicked off his pants. "Underwear too?" he asked, once he was down to his skivvies.

"Yes, off with the undershirt and boxers," Slade crossed his arms over his broad chest, waiting.

"Ugh, déjà vu," Richard grumbled.

"Yes, this _is_ similar to your first day as my apprentice, isn't it," Slade stated through a sinister smirk. "Except I recall you asking about your boxers and socks back then."

"And your hands were behind your back, while you watched," Richard muttered while he pulled his undershirt off.

"There," Slade moved his hands to clasp behind him, "Better?"

"So nostalgic."

"Sorry I don't have a pretty new apprentice uniform for you."

Richard dropped his boxers and met the man's amused expression with a glare. "I'd rather be naked, thanks all the same."

"Are you sure?" Slade frowned as his eye scanned up and down the old man's nude body. "The years have _not_ been kind to you, Richard."

"Yeah-yeah, I'm old. Everything atrophies, sags, and changes colors. Are you done feeling me up with your eyeball so I can sit down now?"

"Yes, quite, please sit," Slade held a hand out in a gesture for Richard to lead the way.

The old hero turned around and stepped inside the metal box. He sat in the chair, wincing when he came into contact with the cold metal, and then he glanced around. The bottom and top of the box were made up of metal bars like a cage, but the four sides were solid sheets of steel.

"Are you certain you want to do this?" Slade asked, stepping up in front of Richard. "It's not too late to turn back. You could still go home, sit in your favorite chair, watch old re-runs, and eventually share Bruce's fate."

Robin's expression hardened. "No, I want this. I'm not ready to die just yet."

Slade nodded and kneeled down to clasp the shackles around Richard's ankles. Then he stood and closed the metal bands around Richard's wrists, locking him to the arms of the chair.

Richard tugged a little at his restraints, but they held strong. Suddenly, there was a sharp pinch in his shoulder and his head snapped to the side to see Slade holding a syringe, pushing its contents into his arm.

"What are you doing?" Richard asked, struggling to get free with a renewed strength fueled by fear.

"Relax, Richard. It's a compound that will help you survive the pit while lessening the adverse side-effects. It even has a mild sedative to help keep you calm."

"Really? Oh. Well you could have warned me."

"You agreed to continue and now that your life is in my hands, I can't help but do what is best for you," the man smiled. "May I close the door now?"

"Yes, it's fine. Go ahead and continue."

Richard watched the metal door swing closed. There was a small rectangle cut into the front, allowing him to see out through the narrow window. He watched Slade walk over to the levers and then the man pulled one down.

The metal box slowly rose up into the air. Richard felt his pulse speed up and his mouth go dry. He tried to keep calm as the box swung out over the pit and then began to lower. He looked down, watching the green bubbling pool come closer and closer until the metal bars splashed down into the thick substance.

Richard's breathing quickened while the green liquid pour in around his feet. He couldn't help pulling against the restraints as he sank deeper. The fluid filled in around him, rising rapidly past his chest and up to his throat. He tilted his head up, gasping for breath. His eyes darted to the small rectangle window just as the hot green liquid bubbled over his face, completely submerging him.

The smirk on Slade's face was the last thing he saw before going under.

~oOo~

The plot thickens ;)

Well, I'm having fun writing this. I hope you like reading it. Please take a second to review. I am seriously excited to hear what you think about this. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

The shit is about to hit the fan.

Enjoy :)

~oOo~

Slade glanced down at the timer on the control panel. He chuckled, watching as the seconds ticked away. He idly raised a hand to smooth down the white hairs at his chin, absentmindedly pulling on his goatee while he waited. His single eye shifted to glance at the pit, then returned to the timer. He lowered his hand to the lever, counting down the last few seconds, then he pushed it up.

The gears groaned, lifting the metal box up out of the green pit. The liquid drained out from the bottom as it raised into the air and swung towards the edge. Slade smiled when he heard the sounds of coughing and spitting echoing from inside the box, indicating that its occupant was still alive.

He watched the metal box slowly lower to the floor and then walked over to open the latch. He pulled the door open and settled his gaze on the younger, leaner, black-haired, Richard Grayson.

A wide grin spread across Slade's face. "It worked perfectly. Congratulations... Robin."

"Wh... what?" Robin asked, choking and spluttering for air while Slade unclasped his metal cuffs.

Robin lowered his head, trying to focus on his renewed body. He glanced down at his arms, his chest, his legs, his groin. Each breath became more shallow and frantic as he realized what Slade had done. His hands flew to his face so shaking fingers could confirm what he feared.

"You..." wide blue eyes looked up at Slade and then they narrowed with a glare. "You son-of-a-bitch! You left me in too long!"

Robin sprung up from the chair, lunging his small, naked, teenage body at Slade.

Slade chuckled, grabbing the boy's wrists. Robin gnashed his teeth, struggling to get an arm free to claw the man's eye out. He tried for a knee to the nuts and was rewarded with a grunt of pain from the evil bastard.

"Calm down!" Slade growled, taking a few steps back to avoid Robin's kicks. He was forced to release one of the boy's wrists so he could block a rather vicious strike.

"Look at me! I'm a fucking teenager again! Why would you do this to me?! We had an agreement!" Robin shouted while alternating between kicks and one-armed punches.

"Did we? I recall promising to make you young again. It was _you_ who assumed we had agreed upon a certain age," Slade smirked while blocking a punch to the face.

"Shut up! You manipulative asshole!" Robin yanked on the arm still clenched in Slade's grasp.

"Language, young man," Slade scolded through his smirk.

"Fuck off!" Robin shouted and managed to connect his fist with the side of Slade's face.

The man's head jerked to the side with a grunt and he stumbled back against the table, dragging Robin with him by the wrist.

"Get your hand off me!" Robin demanded and attempted another punch, but Slade caught the boy's other wrist in a crushing grip.

"Oh how I've missed that vicious tenacity," Slade stated in an icy tone and then he jerked Robin around by his arms and pushed him back onto the table. He leaned over him, yanking the boy's arms above his head to pin him down on the cold wooden surface.

"Stop! Let go!" Robin continued to struggle, kicking his feet out around Slade's sides while he yelled.

Slade moved the boy's wrists to hold with one hand and then he clamped his other hand down over Robin's mouth. "Damn it, boy, I said calm down!"

Bright blue eyes glared up at the man hovering above him. Robin's nostrils flared with each angry breath, but he stopped thrashing and let his legs relax, resting both heels on the edge of the table on either side of Slade's hips.

"That's better," the man purred and lifted his hand from Robin's mouth to return it to the boy's other wrist.

"Get off!" Robin growled.

Slade's eye roamed down the naked body under him then glided back up to meet Robin's glare. "Perhaps you should rephrase your demands," he smirked.

"You _know _what I mean! I don't want your hands on me. I don't want to be anywhere _near_ you! I trusted you! I can't believe that you... How _could_ you, Slade? How could you?" Robin tried to maintain his angry glare but his voice cracked and his eyes filled with tears.

"You just need some time to clear your head. You're experiencing some minor aftereffects from the pit. The injection helped to keep the psychosis at bay, but it can't prevent most of the emotional effects. The reaction will pass."

"No, I'm _reacting _to what you did to me. Why did you do it? Why did you risk drowning me to turn me into a child?"

"You're _overreacting_**.** Robin, I restored your youth. I returned you to your prime."

"My prime?" Robin blinked up at the man, causing a tear to escape from the corner of his eye. "A teenager? Is that what you think? You think I was at my prime when I was leader of the Titans?" Robin asked, trying to understand.

"Yesss," the man hissed through a slight smile on his lips. "You were smart, quick, flexible, yet graceful, strong, relentless... Your size lead your enemies to underestimate you, giving you an advantage. You were so young, so... ripe, ready to be plucked, to be taught and molded into the perfect fighter... to be controlled..."

Robin's eyes widened. "That's why," he whispered, more to himself. "I'm smaller, easier to control."

"Not that you were much of a match when you were an adult," Slade grinned down at the boy.

"Shit," Robin lifted his head to bang it back against the table in frustration. "I'm underage... a minor with no family, no identity, and no money. I can't even legally get a job to feed myself. I'll starve!" the boy glared up at his captor and attempted to twist his arms free again.

Slade chuckled. "Now, now, Robin, I wouldn't let you starve. I promise to take good care of you. I'll even give you a job and pay you a weekly allowance, if you'd like."

"Out of _my_ money?"

"No, I promised not to touch your money, remember? I'm a man of my word. Don't worry, boy, I'll keep your assets safe until you have earned them back. Eventually, when you've finally learned all you can from me, I'll release your money to you and you will be free to do as you please."

"_What_? I'm sorry, this flood of teenage hormones and lingering aftereffects from the pit seems to be messing with my hearing. Did you just say you'll release me and my money to do as I please?"

"Yes, if you behave and make good progress in your training, that is. Then after you have learned everything I have to teach you, you will be free to go. I only want a few years from you, Robin. I'm not going to force you stay with me, if you don't want to."

"Why would you bother with all of this just to let me go?"

"Honestly? I believe that you will not _want _to go. You will choose to stay by my side. You'll learn to enjoy working for me, Robin. You will come to rely on our routine. Your life with me will become familiar and comforting to you. In time, you will even start to see me as a partner... a companion."

Robin burst out laughing. "Right, because I'll be all like, 'the harder my Master hits me, the more I know he cares,'" Robin batted his eyes up at Slade.

"Exactly," the man smiled.

Robin's eyes narrowed with a glare. "And if I don't agree?"

"Well, then I'll keep your money nice and safe until you change your mind. You can find me in my new base of operations at Wayne Manor. I hope you won't mind if I do a little redecorating while you're out trying to survive on your own, living on the streets, defying me."

Robin's top lip curled in disgust, then he suddenly drew his knees up to his chest under Slade's arms and planted both feet on the man's broad shoulders.

Slade had less than a second to react, but it was more than enough time for the skilled mercenary. Robin was coiled, ready to kick his feet out and send Slade flying backwards, but Slade quickly released Robin's wrists, pushed the boy's legs up so his feet slipped above his shoulders, and then grabbed the surprised hero's bruised wrists again to slam them back down above the teen's head.

Slade leaned forward, resting against Robin's legs, causing the teen to have to support his weight or let him collapse on top of him.

Slade chuckled at the strained look on Robin's face. "We can continue to practice all the different ways I can pin you, Robin, but I'd rather wait to teach you those positions for when you're a little more... receptive."

Robin glared up at the man with a pained grunt, but otherwise remained silent.

"Is some of the fight in you finally subsiding?" Slade asked and then stood up, pulling Robin up by his wrists to a sitting position. The boy's legs fell down from his shoulders to dangle off the edge of the table. Slade twisted Robin's arms behind his back and held them there with one hand. He moved his other hand up to grip a fistful of the boy's black hair and then he yanked his head back.

Robin suddenly found himself staring up into Slade's angry glare.

"Now that I have your full attention..." the man's eye narrowed. "I'm not going to fight with you about this. I didn't force you to come with me. _You _wanted to be young again. You made your choice. I graciously restored your youth, so how about a little gratitude? Sure, you're a bit younger than you wanted to be, but think of it this way... The slate has been wiped clean. Your younger body will respond better to training and you'll be more receptive to learning new techniques. Understand?"

Slade released Robin's hair and wrists. He took a few steps back and clasped his hands behind him. "Think about it, Robin. This is what you wanted, isn't it? To start over? To relive your life without the pressures of being the Boy Wonder?"

Robin was silent for a moment, lost in thought, before he ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Yes... this is what I wanted," he said, sounding tired and defeated. "I didn't want to step right into a damn trap and I certainly didn't want to be a damn _teenager _again, but I see your point."

"It's not a trap. Not really. It's more of an offer that you can't refuse," Slade smirked. "I'm not asking that much of you, Robin. Just a few years of servitude while I teach you everything I know."

"But you _didn't_ ask me, Slade. You're not giving me a choice, _again_... I thought things were going to be different."

"Things_ are _different, dear boy. The choice has been yours all along. I even gave you the opportunity to change your mind, _twice_, but you still chose to come with me."

Robin looked down at his hands and clenched his fists, noting that his arthritis was gone. "I was so blinded by the idea of being young again that I didn't stop to think what _you _could possibly gain from all of this. I ignored my instincts for some reason."

"The reason, Robin, was because you just didn't care. You knew there were consequences, but they paled in comparison to the thought of sharing Bruce's fate. You took a chance, because nothing I could have done to you would have been worse than slowly wasting away in your death bed."

"Or so I thought," Robin glared.

"Oh?" Slade arched a brow. "Then would you prefer that you were still a feeble old man just to avoid a few years of training with me?"

Robin glared at Slade for a while, unmoving, before he finally spoke. "No, I _want_ a second chance... but that doesn't absolve you from any of this. You did this so I would be weak, so I would have nothing. I have no where else to go, no one else to turn to and you exploited that." Robin hopped down from the table and pointed a finger at Slade. "And just for your information, Slade, you didn't need to threaten me in the first place! The fact that I have no one else to turn to was the same reason I was going to ask to train with you until I got back into the swing of things."

"Old habits," Slade shrugged. "You always were rather stubborn. I had to ensure you would see things my way," he said through a smug smirk.

Robin snorted. He lifted a hand to rub his head, feeling his senses becoming clearer with each passing minute. "Well, aside from your usual M.O., I guess nothing has really changed from my original plan. I think I can handle a few years training under you, until I'm about eighteen. I can train better at this age and then hone those skills as I grow."

"Well, theoretically," Slade interjected, tilting his head to one side.

"I'll learn from you and combine that knowledge with my past experience. I'm still not sure what I want to do with my life. Maybe this time I'll settle down and start a family of my own."

"It's highly overrated," Slade stated, flatly.

"Maybe I'll start a new team and clean up Jump City," Robin thought out loud.

"Or you could try your hand at villainy and rule the city with an iron fist," Slade said with a sadistic smirk.

"_Or _I could be a vigilante who answers to _no_ one and who does things _my_ way, for once," the teen glared at Slade.

"Hmm, a boy after my own heart," Slade grinned.

"You don't have a heart," Robin retorted bitterly.

"Hypothetically speaking, of course."

"Well, whatever I choose to do, I know that I would like to age for a few more years before I decide whether or not I want to be injected with your super serum."

"About that..." Slade suddenly lunged at Robin and in one swift movement he had the boy bent over the edge of the table with both arms twisted behind his back.

"Umph," Robin grunted when the side of his face met the surface of the table with a dull thud. "Hey, what are you doing?!" he glared up at Slade over his shoulder.

"I'm holding you down." Slade wedged his boot between the boy's feet and kicked his legs apart, making it more difficult for Robin to try and kick him when he was standing between the boy's spread legs.

Robin's eyes widened in fear when he felt Slade press up against him from behind, pushing him into the table. "Wh... Why?" he asked, his voice hitching.

"Because, dear boy, I don't want you to fight back. Isn't that the whole point of holding someone down?" he teased, watching Robin tense up even more. "Relax, Robin." he chuckled. "I just want you to listen to what I'm about to tell you... but, you're not going to like what you hear."

Robin took in a calming breath, trying to reign in his panic. "Listening... I can do that," he relaxed a bit, but Slade didn't loosen his grip.

"I've already injected you with the serum," Slade abruptly confessed.

"What?!" Robin thrashed angrily, but Slade had him effectively pinned in place. "How?! When?!"

"The sedative, when you were strapped to the chair," Slade pressed down on Robin a little more, ensuring the boy couldn't move an inch.

"You lied?"

"No, the serum worked to help keep you alive while you were submerged, and the pit helped you to recover quicker from the adverse effects of the serum. Together, they allowed you to emerge fully restored, strong, and healthy. Oh, and there was also a mild sedative mixed in to keep your heart rate down," Slade smirked. "I told you the truth."

"Well you left out all the important details!" Robin snapped back.

"I was under the impression you came here with me because you _wanted_ to live forever."

"Not as a teenager! You were supposed to make me young again, _then_ inject me with the serum! I didn't know you were going to do it all at the same time. I wasn't sure I even _wanted _to live forever. Just being young again, one more time, was enough damn it!"

"Well, that would have been useful information, Robin. It seems you left out some important details as well. We have both deceived each other by not fully disclosing our intentions. Not surprising, though, since you and I are so very much alike."

"_I'm_ not a selfish ass who only looks out for himself!"

"Selfish? I did what was best for _you_, boy. I've made you invincible. You can stand up to your worst enemy and survive. You will never grow old and never die."

"You bastard! _You're_ my worst enemy and you made it so I will _never_ be able to stand up to you. I'm too damn small!"

"That never stopped you before," Slade arched a white brow.

"Back then I was too naïve to realize that size _does_ matter. But _you _already knew that, or else you wouldn't have trapped me in this body!"

"Oh but Robin, it's such a nice body. Why do you hate it so much?"

Robin glared at Slade over his shoulder. "Because it's useless against you."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," the man chuckled. "But, If you don't want it, I'll be more than happy to take it and make it mine," Slade gripped a fistful of Robin's hair and yanked him up from the table, keeping the boy's arms bent behind his back. He pushed Robin forward, marching him towards the far end of the room where the living area was set up.

"If you insist on being enemies, Robin, then I have no reason to play nice," Slade said as he ushered the naked teen through the doorway into the bedroom.

Robin squinted, adjusting his eyes to the darker room. He glanced around, noting the closet, dresser, night stand, chair, and king-sized bed that filled the large room. His eyes widened when Slade pushed him towards the bed and bent him over the edge of it.

"Slade, stop! Let go!" Robin demanded.

"Look, Robin," Slade jerked Robin's head to the side towards the head of the bed where chains and shackles hung down from the wall.

Robin stilled, blinking up at the restraints. He didn't know what disturbed him more, the thought that Slade might always keep manacles at the head of every bed, or that Slade had prepared the room especially for Robin's arrival.

"You and I have all the time in the world together until I call the helicopter to pick us up. It's up to _you_ how we pass that time. Do you understand me, boy?"

"What are you saying? Do you mean that you would...?"

"Well, if you don't appreciate your new body, I'm sure _I_ can make some use of it... I'll entertain myself with a few samples of your young flesh."

Robin growled. "You're a coward for having to chain me down to do it!" he accused angrily.

Slade frowned. "You're not going to just lay there quietly and let me play with you. Trust me, it's safer for _you_ if you're locked down. I'm doing you a favor."

"Is this the only way you can get any?" Robin twisted, trying to squirm out of Slade's grasp.

"Get any?" Slade asked looking even more confused. "Well, aside from using my own body, there isn't anyone else. But now that I have _you_, I'm curious to see how you compare."

"Wait, what?" Robin stilled, looking a bit mortified. "Used your own body? As in...?"

Slade raised a brow. "As in, I have used my own tissue samples to run plenty of experiments on myself over the years?" he answered, questioningly.

"Experiments? So, when you talked about sampling my flesh?"

"Ah, I see," Slade chuckled. "I was talking about obtaining _actual_ samples of your flesh to analyze and compare to mine. I'm curious to see how your body responded to the serum and the pit." Slade laughed again, grinning down at Robin. "I was going to use you as a lab rat, not a sex toy."

"Oh, I was afraid that you... I thought you were going to..."

"The day I have to rape scrawny teenage boys in order to "_get_ _any_" is the day I admit myself to Arkham, because life stopped making sense. However..." Slade leaned over, molding his armored body to the back of Robin's naked form. His breath was hot against Robin's ear as he spoke, "using your body for my own selfish pleasures in order to break you faster is an entirely different story."

Robin glared at Slade from the corner of his eye, then he quickly shifted his shoulders, turning just enough so he could latch his lips onto Slade's smirk.

Slade's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He felt the boy's tongue dart inside his mouth briefly and then suddenly Robin bit down, sinking his teeth into the man's bottom lip. Slade growled and yanked on Robin's hair, causing the boy to open his mouth with a gasp, then he shoved him down into the bed.

Slade's eye narrowed dangerously. He ran his tongue across his bottom lip, tasting his own blood. "Was that an invitation, Robin?" he asked with a dangerous glare.

"Yes," Robin growled angrily, though he sounded slightly muffled because half of his face was being smashed into the thick comforter. "Go ahead and do your worst. Keep me chained to your bed for the rest of this life. I don't care. I already lived a full life, Slade. I've already loved and lost and loved again and if you want to try and torture me for the rest of eternity, I'm fine with that because I'm damn lucky I got to live the life I had. I've been around the block a few times and there is _nothing_ you can do to me that will take away from who I was and what I had." Robin glared from the corner of his eye.

Slade chuckled darkly. "That's precious, Robin, but I'm certain I could teach you a thing or two. You're _not_ unbreakable, my boy... However, it would defeat the purpose if you _want_ it."

"I _don't_ want-"

"You're practically _begging_ me for it, Robin." Slade interrupted. "You're daring me to take control, challenging me to follow through with my threat. In the past I would have taken you up on your offer just to show you your place, that you belong beneath me... But I'm tired of this game, Robin. It doesn't have to be this way between us. I don't want to threaten you, punish you, and force you to do as I say. I had hoped you and I could move past all that."

"Then prove it by letting me go, damn it," Robin growled and to his surprise, the hand holding his arms released him. Robin slowly turned to look behind him and was surprised to see Slade taking a couple of steps back.

"What is this?" Robin asked, eyeing Slade skeptically. "One minute you're going to chain me to the bed and the next you're releasing me? You can't play the good cop _and_ the bad cop, Slade."

"Can't I?" Slade raised an arrogant brow. "I can be both, Robin. I can be your worst enemy, or your most trusted partner, depending on which path you choose."

Robin pushed himself up to stand facing Slade, but remained silent.

"There are clothes in the dresser for you," Slade gestured towards the piece of furniture.

Robin's eyes darted to the drawers and then he returned his gaze to Slade's single, calculating eye.

Slade moved his hands behind his back and tilted his head, watching Robin casually.

Robin swallowed and moved towards the dresser, glancing at Slade occasionally. He found a small white t-shirt and a pair of black sweat pants and quickly pulled them on. His thoughts were racing and he tried to sift through the chaos of his mind to find a coherent sentence.

"It's still my choice, right? I can decide if I want to leave as soon as we get back to the city?"

"If you really want to go, I won't stop you," Slade answered. "You can stay here with me as my guest for a few days while I help you get reacquainted with your younger body and as soon as we get back to the city, you can head out on your own with nothing but the clothes on your back."

Robin opened his mouth, most likely about to say something defiant, but Slade held his hand up in a gesture for the boy to remain silent and listen as he continued. "I will need a few blood and tissue samples from you before we leave. It's up to you how I obtain those samples... I suggest you cooperate with me. Take these few days as an opportunity to test my offer."

Robin slowly shook his head in disagreement, his expression dazed with a slight frown of disbelief.

"I realize this is a lot for you to take in. I'll give you some time to clear your head and think things over. Reflect on what you really want, Robin. Consider what you will gain by accepting my offer... and what you will lose if you don't," and with that, Slade turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Robin stared at the door for a moment before he allowed his body to sink down to the floor. He leaned forward to rest his head in his hands, covering his face.

He had a lot to think about.

~oOo~

To be continued...

Ok, so I have a thing for characters having one conversation about two different subjects. I've done this before and I will probably do it again. It entertains me :) Just one of those things *shrugs*

Boy, this chapter was angry and frantic. I read through it a few times trying to smooth it out so it didn't seem soooo... bitter... but it was still full of spite and glares. At one point I almost just wanted Slade to lose his patience, slap Robin, and lay down the law! But I think Slade was having too much fun after all these years.

He has missed his bird ;)

Let me know if anything seemed confusing and I will clarify. Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

Ghaw! Sorry I'm late. Midterms. I have two weeks of insanity. As soon as midterms are over I hope to go back to updating once a week, then when finals hit I'll get behind again, but I think the story will be done by then.

Anyway, this chapter is mellow. Just some friendly chit chat and mild interaction with a little bit of insight into Robin's frame of mind.

~oOo~

It was nearly an hour later before Robin emerged from the bedroom and walked up to where Slade was typing away at a computer.

"So, um," he said, coming to a stop off to the side of the white-haired man, who continued to type. "Just so we're both clear about all of this, you realize that you are blackmailing me, right?"

Slade shrugged his broad shoulders. "Blackmail, trades, favors, it's all the same, really."

"You know, when we return the city I'll try to get help. I'll try to find a way to get my life back," Robin said with all the conviction he could muster, even though he knew the threat was empty.

"Oh?" Slade chuckled and turned his chair to face the teen. "Are you going to round up some of your _old _friends from the retirement home? I hear that Wally is twice as fast since he traded in his walker for a wheelchair. Or perhaps Roy, if you catch him between diaper changes. If not them, I suppose there's always the Justice League."

"Stop," Robin whispered, lowering his gaze to frown down at Slade's black steel-toed boots.

Slade continued anyway, "Wait, no they disbanded after Superman died and Batman was the last living member. Well, then there's the latest group of super heros that have decided to join forces in the fight against evil, although I'm on a first name basis with most of them, if that gives you any idea how straight their crooked intentions are."

"Enough! I get it! Ok? I get it. I'm all that's left. I'm alone," Robin's shoulders slumped.

"Robin, as long as _I'm_ around, you are never alone," the man grinned.

Robin ran a hand through his hair. "I'm utterly trapped, aren't I?"

"Not really. You will be free to come and go, within reason. You can live like a normal teenager as long as you follow my rules. I meant it when I said that I would give you everything back after you have learned all you can from me. There _is_ a light at the end of your tunnel."

"How long will _that_ take?"

"That depends on _you_. If you do as I say, if you obey my every command, if you fully commit yourself to me," Robin cringed a little with each demand, "you can earn back your freedom within a few years. However, if you defy me, if you challenge my rules, if you fight me every step of the way, it might take your entire lifetime."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to kill anyone, Slade."

"Not _yet_," Slade smirked. "But I know you're just as curious as I am to find out what you're capable of."

Robin opened his mouth to snap back at Slade, but then he closed it. The man was right. He _had_ always wondered what it would be like. He had come close a couple of times, but he always held back. He had lived an entire lifetime based on upholding the laws set by others. What would it feel like to just give in and act without regrets for once? Could he live with himself if he did?

No, he knew he couldn't. Even the mere thought, the curiosity, made Robin feel guilty. Young or old, he was still the same person inside, even if his choices had gotten a little selfish lately, he wasn't capable of turning his back on the principles of justice.

Slade smiled knowingly, a sinister gleam in his eye.

Robin averted his eyes and changed the subject. "Do you want those blood samples now?" the teen held out his arm.

Slade glanced down at the boy's thin wrist. "I want more than some blood samples, Robin. I need tissue samples as well."

"Fine, let's just get it over with."

"Does this mean you are submitting to my offer?"

"It _means_ I don't want to be chained down while you have your way with me. I would prefer to start out on mutual terms and then go from there."

"Fine, as long as you and I are mutually agreeing to _my_ terms," Slade smiled and pushed himself up from his chair. He turned and walked over to the table that he had pinned Robin to earlier. Robin glared at the back of the man's head of white hair, but followed.

"Here," Slade pulled a chair up. "Sit," he said while walking over to a counter.

Robin sat down and laid his arm out across the top of the table.

"You know, Robin," Slade spoke as he gathered his tools, "I'm not such a bad guy, once you get to know me."

"Famous last words," Robin muttered with a glare, watching the muscles of Slade's back flex through his black uniform while he reached for things.

"Why don't you try me out before you refuse me? Submit to me, learn what you can from me, get a feel for what it could be like if you were to work for me and if you really despise it that much, you can always walk away." Slade stepped to the side of the table and set his items down.

Robin tilted his head to look up at the man's face. "If it's anything like the first time I was your apprentice, then you might as well do us both a favor and kill me now, because I will _not_ go through that again."

Slade smirked as he leaned down and gripped Robin's arm. "Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that. This time will be different, seeing as to how all of your friends are gone and I can't threaten you with their lives."

"Great sales pitch," Robin dead panned, watching Slade line up the needle of a syringe with a vein in his arm.

Slade lifted his head to meet Robin's gaze, his single steel-blue eye piercing through him to his very soul. "Why did you come with me, Robin?"

The teen's eyebrows shot up at the sudden, direct question. He searched Slade's face, which was only a few inches from his own. The man's eye narrowed and Robin had a feeling Slade already knew the answer to the question.

"I didn't... I wanted to... I... wasn't ready to die," Robin decided on an answer.

"Why?" Slade pressed. "You said yourself, you already lived a full life. Why did you want to relive another one?" he held Robin's gaze for a moment and then dropped his eye down to the boy's arm.

"I don't know," Robin looked down and watched Slade push the needle in. "I just watched Bruce die, and I knew I wasn't far behind. Do I really need to explain why people make crazy decisions when they lose someone?"

Slade withdrew the needle and stood to his full height. He set the syringe down and picked up a scalpel, then fixed his gaze on Robin. "Do you really think I'm going to buy that bullshit?"

Robin flinched back a little in his chair, withdrawing his arm from the table.

"There is no one around to judge you, Robin, so why don't you try to be a little more honest with yourself, hmm?" Slade bent down to grab Robin's wrist and lifted his arm up to stretch it out across the table. Robin tugged back out of habit to resist, but Slade held his arm pinned by his wrist. "I'll ask you again... Why did you come with me?"

The teen let out a sigh and glanced up at Slade. "I guess, after Bruce died, I realized I was alone, but... I was also free."

"That's better," Slade smirked.

Robin dropped his gaze. "Back when I was a teenager I had to worry about leading the Titans, and making sure I did everything right so the Justice League, or _worse_, Batman didn't step in. I was under so much pressure. Even when I left the Titans and became Nightwing, I still couldn't break away. I still had to answer to everyone else. I never really lived my own life. Then you came along, right when Bruce died, and I started questioning my entire existence. I just wanted to live for myself, to do what_ I_ wanted to do," Robin hung his head, "to be selfish."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Robin. After a lifetime of selflessness, you deserve the opportunity to be a little selfish."

"Says the selfish bastard."

Slade's hand suddenly swished through the air to stab the scalpel into Robin's forearm.

"Aaahh!" Robin shouted out and instinctively reached for the scalpel to pull it out.

Slade left the scalpel sticking out of Robin's arm so he could grab the boy's other wrist. "Are you sure you don't want me to chain you to the bed?" Slade smirked.

Robin answered with a glare and then turned his face away, growling angrily through his clenched teeth. Slade released the teen's arm and returned his grip to the scalpel. He slowly began to carve through Robin's arm, cutting away a small chunk of flesh.

Robin squeezed his eyes shut with the effort to endure the pain. His body began to shake, but he maintained his posture through Slade's cutting.

"There. All done," the man released Robin's arm and placed the piece of flesh inside a dish.

Robin cradled his arm and looked down to assess the damage. His eyes widened. "It stopped bleeding," he said, watching the wound start to fill in. "And the pain is almost gone."

"Yes, you've definitely received the healing portion of the serum, thankfully. I'll have to run some tests to determine the full extent of the serum's effects on your body. Now for the _other_ arm." Slade grabbed Robin's wrist and lifted it up to pin down on the table.

"Seriously?" Robin tugged at his arm. "You're just mean."

"I'll be quick. Try to control yourself."

Robin turned away again as Slade went to work. He sliced deeper this time, going down into the muscle, but he worked fast and, to Robin's joy, it was over in a few seconds. Slade handed him a towel to clean the blood from his arms.

"Ow," Robin groaned and stood up from the chair, happy to get away from the table.

Slade put the samples away and retrieved the towel to clean up the blood from the table, then he walked to a sink to wash his hands. "Now then, how about something to eat?"

"How can you think of food after what you just did?" Robin asked with a disgusted, disapproving look, but then right at that moment, his stomach growled loudly and he felt his face flush with embarrassment.

"Hypocrite," Slade grinned smugly. "Careful with those arrogant judgements, Robin. I won't deny that I have a sadistic side in me. Perhaps you should stop ignoring the masochist in you." Slade chuckled and turned to walk to the kitchen.

"I'm not a masochist," Robin grumbled, following after Slade. "I'm a teenager. I'm _always _hungry."

"Then allow me to fulfill your needs," Slade flashed a smile over his shoulder and walked around the island to the fridge. He pulled out several items and moved to the stove, where his back was to Robin.

Robin rolled his eyes and pulled out a bar stool from under the counter of the island. He watched Slade place a pan on the stove and pull a knife out from a drawer. "You can cook?"

"Is there anything I _can't_ do?"

Robin snorted. "I don't know, how are you at fouetté pirouettes?"

Slade chuckled. "Undignified and disgraceful, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable."

Robin couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "You're not serious, are you?" he laughed quietly, picturing Slade dancing around his lair in his boots and armor.

Slade turned to give Robin a look that reflected how ridiculous he thought this conversation was and then he returned to his chopping. "Of course I'm not serious. What use have I for ballet?"

Robin chuckled. "Well, Mr. Can-do, I hope you can cook better than you can dance."

"Oh, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It's a bit of a hobby of mine, after all."

"No way. Really? You actually choose to spend time in the kitchen?" Robin looked as appalled as he sounded.

"Why is that so hard to believe? Restaurants are not always an option in certain areas and MRE's get old after a few decades," Slade spoke while dropping his chopped items into the hot pan. "Occasionally, I need to eat, so I might as well do it right."

"Always the overachiever," Robin shook his head.

"It's part of what makes me so damn charming," Slade chuckled.

Robin watched Slade for moment, smiling, and he realized how comfortable and relaxed he felt. It was nice just sitting and talking to someone who he had essentially grown up with. Robin didn't realize how alone he really felt. Even though he and Slade didn't have the greatest of histories together, he couldn't deny that he wasn't enjoying the man's company. "Do you want any help?" he offered.

"No. You're my guest here and what sort of host would I be if I didn't serve my guest? Why don't you go get cleaned up before dinner. Relax a little."

"I suppose a shower wouldn't hurt," Robin said and then sniffed his forearm. "I smell like the Lazerus Pit."

"And pheromones," Slade added.

"What?"

Slade turned to face Robin. "You are producing an abnormal amount of pheromones, for some reason. Your body is most likely trying to adjust to its younger form so it's overcompensating. I'll have to look into it later if it doesn't correct itself. It is rather... distracting," Slade eyed Robin thoughtfully, then turned his attention back to his cooking.

"Well, it's your own damn fault I'm like this." Robin stood from the stool and headed for the shower.

"You can thank me later when you have to beat the girls off with a stick."

Robin turned around to glare at Slade. "I'd rather beat _you_ off-"

"Shall I join you in the shower then?" Slade interrupted, smirking.

"...with a stick," Robin finished his sentence, ignoring Slade. "I'm going to go shower now. Alone," he said flatly while walking to the bathroom.

"Don't be too long, or I might be tempted to come in after you," Slade chuckled. "I wouldn't want your dinner getting cold."

"You're such a thoughtful sociopath," Robin replied impassively and then slammed the bathroom door. He looked down to lock the door and let out a sigh when he saw that there wasn't one. "Of course there isn't," he grumbled. "Not that it would even slow Slade down."

He hurried to pull his clothes off and set them on a shelf before stepping towards the tub to turn the shower on. He wasted no time, quickly scrubbing his body down and washing his hair in record time. After a quick rinse, he shut the water off and went straight for his clothes, not even bothering to dry off.

He had just pulled his pants on when the door suddenly swung open causing Robin to jump in surprise and take a step back.

Slade smirked down at the half naked, wide-eyed teen. "Dinner is served."

"Holy invasion of privacy, Slade! You could've just knocked," Robin glared.

"My mistake, I didn't realize you had any privacy _left_ after you attacked me in the nude and got your naked ass kicked," the one-eyed man raised an indignant brow and turned away.

Robin growled in annoyance and grabbed his shirt, pulling it on while following Slade.

Slade walked over to the small table near the kitchen and pulled a chair out, offering it to Robin.

Robin eyed the two plates of food on the table and then shifted his gaze to the chair Slade was standing behind. He let out a sigh and walked towards the man, sitting in the chair.

"This nice guy routine won't work on me, Slade," Robin informed the man, watching him uncork a bottle of wine and pour the dark red liquid into a glass. "You can't woo me by serving me dinner."

"Wait to say that until _after_ you've tried my cooking. The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach, after all," Slade said while filling his own glass and then he moved to take his seat across from Robin.

Robin picked up his fork and stabbed it into the colorful pile of vegetables on his plate. He sniffed it and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. It smelled amazing. He opened his mouth and eagerly shoved the bite inside. Robin's eyes widened and he looked down at his plate. "Holy crap on a cracker," he mumbled through his mouthful of food and then he shoveled another big bite into his mouth.

Slade chuckled and took a bite from his own plate.

"This is amazing," Robin said, talking with his mouth full. He swallowed it down and then took a long drink from his wine glass. "And paired with this wine, ugh! Soooooo good! How can it be this good? I know my sense of taste had diminished with my age, but I don't remember anything tasting this awesome, ever. Wait, is it the serum? Does it do something to enhance your taste buds?"

"Yes, it does. The serum enhances all your senses to better assist you with tracking and fighting. Your eyes, ears, nose and tongue will be more sensitive to stimuli and, if my conclusions are correct, new receptors develop that give us the ability to detect light, colors, pitches, scents, and flavors that no ordinary human can," Slade reached across the table to refill Robin's wine glass. "Either that or I'm in the wrong line of work."

Robin laughed and picked up his glass, swallowing down a few big gulps. "I just pictured you in the kitchen of a restaurant, dressed in white, barking orders at your apprentice chef."

"Want to learn a few recipes?" Slade smirked.

"And get beaten with a wooden spoon when my soufflé collapses? No thank you. I'll stick with what I know."

"Masks, belts, and wrestling bad boys to the ground with your toys until they submit to you?" Slade countered with a smug grin. "I would think getting beaten with a wooden spoon would be right up your alley."

"Goes to show how much you know about what I like up my alley," Robin retorted angrily and then he raised an eyebrow at Slade. "That didn't come out right, did it?" he chuckled and took another bite of his food.

Slade offered a small shrug. "I don't have a problem understanding how anything comes from your mouth, Robin, whether you want to openly agree that you like it up your alley, or not." Slade stated flatly and took another bite of his food.

Robin frowned and then swallowed the gulp of wine in his mouth. "...What?"

Slade chuckled. "More wine?" he filled the boy's glass again.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence, aside from a few more of Robin's satisfied comments and unbridled moans of pleasure. When they had finished Slade gathered their dishes and took them over to the sink.

Robin sat back in his chair, watching Slade wash the dishes. He rubbed his full belly. "What's for dessert?" he smirked.

"Only a respectful apprentice who asks his Master nicely is allowed to have dessert," Slade flashed a smirk over his shoulder.

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Oh. Well fuck dessert then."

Slade chuckled. "Good, because that empty wine bottle was the closest thing we had to it."

"I've definitely had enough of that already," he grinned cheerily.

"When we get back to the city, I'll make it up to you. I make a chocolate and strawberry mousse that is to die for," Slade chuckled to himself. "Well actually, the few people who have eaten it, did in fact die, but I'll make yours without all the poison. _If _you ask your Master nicely, of course."

"Slade, I don't care how good your mousse tastes, you can't win me over like this."

"But you haven't even tried it yet," Slade turned around to face Robin with a small smirk.

"I'm not talking about your cooking. I'm talking about you. I know you're trying to convince me that you can be a nice guy and all, but you're not. I'll never be able to trust you," Robin glared.

"I'm not asking you to trust me."

"How can I join you if I can't trust you? I can't train with you or... _obey_ you if I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for you to stab me in the back."

Slade stepped towards Robin keeping his gaze locked on the teen. Robin sat up straight, instinctively preparing for an attack. Slade smirked and continued walking towards him, casually stepping around the table to stand in front of him. Robin looked up at Slade, lightly gripping the arms of his chair.

"Robin," Slade spoke calmly, almost sounding concerned for the boy. "I won't lie to you. There may be times I will withhold information from you, or perhaps even force you to do things against your will, but I won't betray you. I have nothing to gain from stabbing you in the back. You'll have to trust that I know what is best for you."

"Like the pit and the serum and trapping me in the body of a teenager? You didn't even consider my feelings."

"Yes. I did. And in time, you will see that I had your interests in mind. I always do."

Robin lowered his gaze, shaking his head, "I can't believe I got myself trapped in this mess. I can almost hear Bruce saying 'I told you so.'"

"But he's not here, Robin. You don't have anyone counting on you. There is no one to answer to for your actions... to judge you. You can finally live without the fear of disappointing anyone."

"Except you. I wanted to live my own life, but you're trapping me under expectations again." Robin paused for a moment. "What happens if I don't live up to those expectations?"

"Then I'll beat the shit out of you and you can try again. You can keep trying until you get it right."

Robin snorted. "That simple, huh?"

"You know what to expect from me, Robin. I won't shun you for making mistakes. I'll teach you to learn from them so you don't make them again. I'm giving you this opportunity to learn from me; all of my knowledge, all of my skills, all of my power, all for you. I'm asking so little of you in return."

"Just my blind obedience," Robin retorted, turning his face away in irritation.

"I know you have thought it over. You have already made your decision. You and I both know how this is going to end. Stop fighting it and just concede." Slade reached for Robin's chin. He lifted the boy's face up to meet his gaze. "Robin... You don't _want_ me as your enemy."

Robin stared up at Slade for a moment, pinned by his steely gaze, feeling small and utterly helpless next to the man's massive presence. "I have no one to blame for this mess I'm in but myself," Robin's tone was heavy with defeat.

The slightest hint of a smile touched Slade's lips. He remained silent, waiting for Robin to come to the inevitable conclusion that he would have to submit if he hoped to get out of this. Not that Slade would ever allow him to get out of this, but that little bit of information wasn't important at the moment.

Robin averted his eyes. "I don't have a choice... For the time being, I'll play along... You have me," Robin's blue eyes shifted to meet Slade's gaze. "I'm yours."

Slade allowed himself a satisfied smile as he savored Robin's words. He dropped his hand from the boy's chin and clasped them behind his back.

"It's late. You should get some sleep," Slade commanded. "We'll start your training in the morning."

Robin gave a small nod and stood from the chair. "Just remember, Slade. If you push me too far, I can still walk away. It's my choice to be here. I'm not going to put up with it if you start acting like a fucking tyrant."

Slade's eye narrowed dangerously and Robin felt his heart skip a beat.

"Language, Robin. If you do not show me a reasonable amount of respect, I won't have any reason to maintain a certain amount of restraint. Do you understand me, boy?"

Robin frowned but gave a quick nod of his head.

"Good." Slade put his hand on Robin's shoulder and turned him towards the bedroom, walking with him to the doorway. "Don't worry about what might happen before it even occurs. Now off to bed with you. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

Robin stepped into the room and turned to the side to look back at Slade, who was standing in the doorway, blocking out most of the light.

"I have much to teach you, but the first thing you need to learn is to appreciate your position as my apprentice... and to accept me as your Master. Goodnight, Robin."

Slade closed the door, leaving Robin standing alone in the middle of the pitch black room.

~oOo~

Poor Robin. What has he gotten himself into? Wait, I don't care. Go Slade! You clever, sexy bastard, you ;)

Oh, and the chocolate and strawberry mousse was from **Wynja's** story, **2060. **It was Robin's favorite. **Wynja**, forgive me for not asking permission first. Feel free to hire a certain one-eyed mercenary and send him after me for revenge. Just make sure to tell him I like it with the mask on ;)

What? Who am I and what have I done with myself?!

More exciting things to come in the next chapter... See you all again as soon as I can update.

Please review with errors. I didn't read through this one and I know I must have screwed up somewhere. Oh, and I want to know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

I stretched myself too thin this last month and had to put writing aside for a while. Sorry for making you wait :/

I had to split this chapter because it was so long. So this is the first part. It is short, but the next chapter is longer to make up for it.

I hope you enjoy it...

~oOo~

"Robin," Slade's familiar, icy voice cut through the heavy layers of sleep. "Wake up."

Robin groaned as his eyes cracked open. The light burned and he let out another groan as he rolled over, pulling the blankets up over his head. "Five more minutes," he grumbled.

Slade grabbed the blankets and ripped them off of the teen, tossing them over the foot of the bed. "No. Get up."

Robin clutched at his pillow and lifted it up to cover his head. "Three more minutes," he mumbled from underneath his pillow.

Slade yanked the pillow away too. "Get up. Get dressed. Now."

"I'm already dressed," he covered his eyes with his forearm.

"No, you need something more appropriate to wear during training. I suggest you do as your told, unless you want me to rip your clothes off of you and dress you myself."

"Argh, hate you..." Robin glared and pushed himself up to sit on the bed. He blinked up at Slade. "What time is it?"

"Three in the morning," Slade answered.

"What?! Hell no! I didn't sign up for this." Robin flopped back over on his side and reached for the other pillow, using it to cover his head. "We have all day. Come back later."

Slade regarded the small body curled up in the bed for a moment. "Robin."

"Sshhh... Just five more minutes," the teen murmured.

Slade let out an irritated sigh and then reached down to grip the waistband of Robin's pants and proceeded to yank them down to his ankles.

"Hey, stop!" Robin reached for his pants, but Slade had already pulled them off of his feet and threw them aside.

Slade grabbed Robin's shirt just as the boy sat up, making it easier to pull it over the struggling teen's head and off of each arm. "You must have wanted this or else you would have heeded my warning." Slade planted a gloved hand on his bare chest and shoved him back down onto the bed.

"I wanted _sleep_, you pervert! Stop, let go!" Robin protested, trying to shove Slade's hand away.

"Not until you're up and dressed."

"I'm up, already! I'll get dressed, okay? Just let me do it," Robin glared up at the man.

Slade lifted his hand from Robin's chest. "Very well. Your uniform is in the bottom drawer. Don't keep me waiting, Robin, or I'll be back to make you regret that you stayed in bed."

Robin arched a brow, watching Slade leave, and then he scooted to the edge of the bed. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Stupid three in the morning, stupid Slade and his stupid training," he grumbled.

Robin thought he heard a chuckle from somewhere outside of the bedroom. Slade probably heard him, but he didn't really give a damn at the moment.

He ran his tongue over his teeth, thinking that he needed to brush away his morning breath, but was surprised at how clean his mouth felt. It must have something to do with the serum. Come to think of it, Slade had always seemed to have pleasant breath whenever he was in Robin's face, threatening him. He perked up at the thought of never having bad breath again, or cavities, or hell, dentures!

Robin yawned and rubbed his eyes. He pushed himself up slowly with a groan, waiting for the sounds of his popping joints and the dull throb of pain that came with it, but his body smoothly rose up to his full height without a hitch and Robin blinked in surprise.

He stretched his arms above his head and then bent over to touch his toes, gliding smoothly through the stretches with a wide grin. He almost squealed with joy at the energy and strength he felt in his muscles. He flipped forward to do a hand stand and couldn't help the happy little giggle he made as he walked around the room on his hands.

"Robin," Slade called his name loudly from outside of the bedroom, impatience laced heavily in his tone.

Robin startled and fell sideways with an _oomph_. "Uh, be there in a minute," he yelled back and quickly pulled open the drawer, managing to strip, tug his uniform on, and strap his armor into place in record time, before quickly rushing to the door.

Slade arched an appreciative brow when the teen finally emerged dressed in Slade's colors with the half-black and half-copper shirt that mirrored the two halves of the man's mask. The light glinted off of Slade's insignia over the boy's heart.

"Really Slade?" Robin glared as he came to a stop in front of the man. "I thought you said you didn't have a new apprentice uniform for me."

"I don't. This one is impractical for anything else but training. It's heavier and it isn't impervious to armor piercing bullets. Your _real_ uniform is waiting for you when we return to the city."

Robin snorted. "Did you save it all these years expecting that I would wear it again?"

Slade chuckled. "Of course not. It's not the same uniform, Robin. It's a newer, upgraded version."

Robin crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't want it, or this. I want to wear something else."

"You will wear what I provide for you and you will be grateful for it. Quit throwing a tantrum. You're a teenager, not a toddler. Act your age," Slade smirked and took a step forward, lifting a hand up for Robin's face. He grasped his chin before the teen could turn away.

"How are you feeling this morning?" the man asked while he tilted the boy's head up and turned it from side to side, studying his face.

"Tired," Robin tried to glare while the man lifted his eyelid with a thumb to check his pupil.

"Hmm, you didn't sleep well?" Slade ran his fingers down Robin's jaw to his throat, noticing how the touch sent a slight shiver through Robin that seemed to scare the boy. He smirked and pressed his fingers to the pulse in his neck, checking the teen's heart rate.

"I..." Robin squeaked and then cleared his throat and tried to speak again. "I couldn't sleep. There was too much on my mind. I think I finally dozed off right before you woke me up."

"Hmm," Slade hummed thoughtfully, again, and his eye narrowed.

"What?" Robin asked, looking a little worried.

Slade tilted Robin's head to the side, exposing his neck and then he leaned down, swiftly lowering his face to the sensitive skin of Robin's slender throat.

Robin's eyes widened and he nervously moved his hands to Slade's chest, not sure what the man was doing invading his personal space.

Slade's nose lightly brushed against Robin's neck as he inhaled, taking in the boy's scent deep within his lungs. Robin shivered at the sensation and closed his eyes, briefly losing himself in the moment.

Slade reluctantly pulled away and stood at his full height, his body tense. Robin opened his eyes to meet Slade's gaze, noticing that the man's pupil was dilated and his muscles were flexed as if he was preparing to attack... _or_, as if he was trying to keep himself from attacking...

Slade's grip had tightened and Robin grabbed the man's wrist with a groan. "Slade, you're hurting me."

"You have _no_ idea, Robin," Slade said through a sinister smirk and then released the hold he had on the teen's jaw.

Robin rubbed his face, taking a step back. "What the hell, Slade?" he glared.

"Just testing a theory," the man shrugged. "That pheromone problem of yours hasn't decreased in the slightest. I had thought your body would have adjusted by now."

"I feel completely normal," Robin's tone was accusing, as if Slade was just making excuses.

"Normal? Is that why your body trembled at my touch and your heart rate increased?" the man smirked. "No, Robin. You can't deny that you are not feeling the effects of your transition. Your body is going through changes and you might notice you are starting to feel-"

"Whoa!" Robin interrupted, holding his hands up to stop the man. "We are not having this conversation. It was awkward enough when I went through this with Bruce. I don't need to hear it from you too. Been there, done that. I know what to expect, thanks all the same."

Slade chuckled. "I was referring to the effects of the serum on your body, not the effects of puberty."

"Oh, good. I don't think I could handle hearing _your_ version of the birds and bees," Robin shuddered slightly.

"You might actually learn a thing or two," Slade smiled with a slight leer.

"That's what I'm afraid of. There are some things I am happy _not_ knowing about you."

"For now," Slade shrugged, much to Robin's confusion. "So, as I was saying, your body is still trying to adjust to the serum. The Lazerus pit helped to stabilize you for the most part, but you will notice some fluctuations in your hormones, energy levels, and mood. You are going to be a bit unpredictable for a while."

"How unpredictable?"

"Well, if I knew _that_, it wouldn't be unpredictable, now would it?"

Robin rolled his eyes. "Well what are we talking here? Am I going to be losing my mind one minute and then in a coma the next? Or somewhere in between the extremes?"

"I expect it won't be anything that you can't handle with a little willpower. The serum brings out a primal side that triggers our most basic, animalistic instincts, and... desires. With heightened senses, comes heightened reactions, as you demonstrated earlier when you reacted to me. During these moments, you will need to make more of an effort to control yourself."

Robin's eyes narrowed as a slight blush colored his cheeks. "I'm not the one with control issues," he retaliated.

"I don't have any issues with keeping everything under my control. It's a tactical advantage. We'll have to work on your perspective," Slade said, smugly, then he turned away from the teen and headed over to an open area on the other side of the room. "Come," he ordered.

Robin followed, glaring daggers at the back of the man's head.

Slade came to a stop at the center of an open area in the corner of the large room and turned to face Robin with his hands clasped behind his back.

Robin stopped quite few paces away and crossed his arms over his chest with a glare, waiting for the man to get on with it.

Slade stood silently for a moment with a blank expression. Then his eye narrowed. "Come closer, apprentice."

Robin rolled his eyes and dropped his arms as he stepped up to stand within arms length of Slade. "This close enough for you?" he asked spitefully.

Slade's expression remained unreadable as he stared down at the teen, then he finally spoke. "Your first lesson will be your most difficult, but it is important in order for you to progress through your training to, inevitably, earn back your freedom."

"Ok," Robin shrugged. "So what's first on the agenda?"

"Are you certain you are prepared to do what is necessary to gain your freedom?"

"Of course I am. I'm ready for this," Robin's expression hardened with his determination.

"Then let's begin," a sinister smirk cracked across Slade's face. "I want you to call me, Master."

~oOo~

Oh, Slade, you evil bastard...

Well, the next chapter is already finished so you won't have to wait forever for me to update. I will post it next week sometime. If I get 50 reviews! Just kidding. I wouldn't do that to you guys :)

I have finals over the next two weeks and I am slacking off in all areas of my existence, so forgive my slow updates. I do my best.

Reward my hard work by reviewing, please :) Questions, comments, concerns, and criticism are always welcome. Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Crapadoodle, sorry for the wait! I forgot to upload this before I went out of town, so I had no way to post it until I got home. I totally screwed that up! But, I'm back now, so here's the next chapter...

~oOo~

Robin's blue eyes widened. "What?"

"Do you still have the hearing of an old man?" Slade teased through his smirk. "I want you to call me Master."

"You can't be serious," Robin glared. "You know how I feel about that, Slade. After all these years I still want to spit in your face for that subjugating bullshit."

Robin didn't see Slade move until the back of the man's hand crashed into the side of his face, snapping his head to the side. Robin closed his eyes, waiting for the ringing in his ears to subside and then he turned his head back to face Slade and stood up straight to meet the man's gaze.

"That was disrespectful, Robin. You are free to disrespect me, of course, but remember that I am free to retaliate."

Robin took in a calming breath and clenched his fists. "Slade, I swear on Bruce's grave I will not hesitate to walk away from this if you are going to treat me like a child."

Slade chuckled, surprising the boy. "I'm impressed, Robin. You reacted better than I had expected. You made the effort to control yourself, despite all of your anger."

"Wait a minute, are you testing me?" Robin's eyes narrowed accusingly.

"You get a D+. If you want to pass with an A, you still need to call me Master," the man smirked.

Robin's shoulders slumped. "How does that help me? What does calling you _that_ have to do with my training?"

"To remind you of your place," Slade held a hand up to stop Robin from speaking. "Hold your tongue and listen. Ever since the first day I met you, you have insisted that you and I are on the same level. Even in your old age you refused to back down. Your pride has gotten in the way more than once, Robin. You always have something to prove," Slade shook his head. "If you are to truly learn from me, you need to be humbled. You need to come to me without the desire to challenge me. You need to accept that you are my apprentice and _I_ am your Master, or you and I will never move past the first stage of your training."

Robin ran a hand through his messy black hair in irritation. "Damn, I hate it when you make sense... Can't I just promise to take this seriously without calling you that?"

Slade shook his head. "You're only helping to prove my point. You have trained with the best and you had no problem addressing any of them as 'Master' or following their instructions without arguing every step fo the way. I expect that same reverence, Robin."

"I agreed to stay and learn from you. I already understand that I am your student. Why can't that be enough?"

"Your agreement was only the first step. I need your _full _commitment... mind, soul, and body."

Robin winced at Slade's words. He glanced away from the man, looking rather conflicted. He had no logical reason _not _to accept that Slade was his Master, but he just couldn't imagine giving in to the idea. Deep down inside... "I just... don't want to," he admitted.

"Well, we're not leaving this cave until you do," Slade's eye narrowed and he lashed out at Robin, slamming his fist into the boy's stomach.

Robin flew back from the force of the impact, landing sprawled out on the floor. He rolled to his side and coughed, curling in on himself.

"I can strip you of your dignity, Robin," Slade spoke as he walked up to stand over the teen. "I can beat you within an inch of your immortal life, torture the pride right out of you, every day, until you accept your place. Or, you can choose to make this easy on yourself. You can swallow that pride and we can return to the city. All you have to do is say one little word. Prove to me you are ready to take the next step."

"I shouldn't have to devote myself to you," Robin pushed himself up and staggered to his feet, glaring up at Slade. "This arrangement is temporary," he growled.

"No, Robin. Right now you belong to me. While you are mine, you will only live for me. There is no need to concern yourself with what the future might hold. You will devote every ounce of your energy to pleasing me and every time you call me Master, you will be reminded that nothing else matters."

"You're wrong!" Robin yelled and lunged at Slade, aiming his fists at the man's face. "Every time I have to call you Master I will be reminded of how much I want to get away from you!"

Slade swiped Robin's fists aside and countered with a punch to the teen's jaw.

"Ghaw!" Robin stumbled back and dropped to a knee.

"Isn't that precisely what you need? To be reminded of your place, to drive you to train harder in order to earn back your freedom and 'get away' from me?" the man tilted his head, smirking.

Robin used the back of his hand to wipe the blood from his mouth. "I don't want to be reminded that I'm trapped, that _you_ are in control! This is _my_ choice!" he yelled, rushing at Slade.

Slade grabbed Robin's arm and spun him around, releasing him to send him crashing into the wall. "I don't care what you have to tell yourself Robin, but it won't change the truth," Slade said, while he walked up to stand over the groaning teen. "Eventually you will come to accept the appellation as fact."

Robin opened his eyes to look up at the man towering over him. He moved to sit up and found himself suddenly being yanked up to his feet by his throat. Slade pushed him back against the wall, holding him loosely by a hand around his neck.

"It's only one word, Robin. Say it. Call me Master and we can be on the next flight back to Jump City."

Robin stilled, looking up at the face that belonged to his enemy for so many years. How did it come to this? How did he end up being pinned to a wall, trapped in the body of a teenager, and on the verge of surrendering to this man who would be his Master? How the hell did he let all of this happen?

Robin felt a wave of panic crash through him and with it came a surge of adrenaline and an overwhelming rush of strength. Before Robin realized what he was doing, he had reached his hand up for Slade's head and gripped a fistful of the man's white hair. In an instant he yanked Slade's head down while shifting to the side, using all of his strength to smash the man's face into the wall next to him.

The sickening thwack echoed in Robin's ears and he blinked in surprise at what he had just done. He released Slade's hair and took a few steps back, watching as the man dropped to one knee with a grunt and covered his face.

"Oh, shit," Robin whispered as blood streamed from under Slade's hand to pool on the floor below him.

Slade moved his hand to his knee and pushed himself up, shaking his head to clear it. Then he turned his glare on Robin and the boy actually yelped. Slade's nose was completely crushed, there was a gash over the ridge of his eyebrow, and his lips were split in several places, but the worst part was when Slade took in a deep breath and then spit his two front teeth out at Robin, bouncing the bloodied pearly-whites off of the teen's chest.

Robin took a step back as the man advanced. "Fuck, Slade, I did not mean to cross that line. I don't know what happened," Robin quickened his pace, backing away to stay out of the man's reach.

"Your pride happened, Robin," Slade spit blood as he spoke. "Would you have done such a

vicious act to one of your former Masters?"

Robin shook his head slightly just as he felt his back press up against the other wall that cornered off the room. His eyes widened and he quickly glanced around, planning his escape.

Slade closed the distance between them and slapped a hand on the wall next to Robin's head before he could dart away. He leaned down, bringing his bloody face closer to the teen's worried expression.

"No, you never would have attacked any of your previous mentors, because you were humbled in their presence... you respected them."

Robin gave a small nod of agreement, his eyes searching Slade's face, noting that his wounds were closing quickly.

"But you don't respect me at all, do you boy?" Slade's eye narrowed and the blood that streaked down his face only added to his murderous expression.

"No," Robin stated flatly. "You should probably just let me go. This deal is never going to work." There was no sense in denying the truth or trying to make excuses. He had taken the man by surprise and actually _really _hurt him. There was no escaping whatever Slade was about to do to him, so why sugarcoat anything?

"Hmm, I suppose you're right," Slade said while moving his other hand up to press against the wall on the other side of Robin, caging him in.

Robin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I am?" he asked, glancing nervously at the man's arms.

"Yes, I don't see how this is going to work if you don't respect me. You won't listen to me, or obey me, and therefore you won't be able to learn from me. We can't move forward if you refuse to admit that I am your better." Slade looked disappointed.

Robin frowned in confusion. The man was up to something.

"Unless..." Slade continued and Robin cringed inwardly. "I prove to you how much _better_ I really am." Slade's hand moved to Robin's throat and he lifted the teen off of his feet. "I'll gain your obedience the hard way, through fear and intimidation," Slade smirked. "It will be just like the good old days."

Slade pulled Robin away from the wall only to slam him back against it, smacking his head hard against the concrete. Then he spun around, throwing Robin out across the floor.

Robin fought the dizziness and scrambled to get to his feet, rising up just in time to meet Slade's fist. His head snapped to the side and down he went to greet the floor again.

The beating continued and as hard as Robin tried to fight back, he was utterly stunned and disappointed that he couldn't even defend himself, let alone land a blow in retaliation. Slade clearly had the upper hand and Robin realized that he _did_ actually respect the man and he always had, he was just too stubborn to ever admit it.

The man was right about Robin. He did always act like he had something to prove. Even now, after admitting to himself that Slade was his better, he still glared at him defiantly, he still tried to get in one good hit, and he still continued to take the worst beating he had ever gotten even though he had the power to stop it.

Robin lost himself in the pain, anger, and fear, remembering what it felt like to be so close to death at the hands of his enemies. This time was different though, because Slade wouldn't kill him no matter how hard it seemed the man was trying. So Robin focused on what it felt like, learning what his body could take and noting the time it took to heal from certain attacks.

He had no idea how long his brutal beating went on, but it must have been quite a few hours, because through all of his agony, he realized he was exhausted, starving, and he really needed to pee.

Slade suddenly grabbed his wrist. "Pay attention, Robin" the man scolded and twisted his arm oddly until it cracked.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" Robin yelled out in pain, his voice hoarse from hours of similar shouts. He dropped to a knee, cradling his broken arm. "Son-of-a-bitch!" he glared fiercely at the man towering over him.

Slade's eye narrowed causing some of the dried blood on his face to crack. He reached down to grip Robin by his good arm and hauled him to his feet. "I see that the years have done nothing to dilute that temper of yours," he backhanded the teen, sending him crashing to the floor.

Robin was sprawled out on his back, panting for breath. He rolled to the side and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. His arm was almost healed, as were most of his other wounds and broken bones, but he was running out of energy.

Slade paced around him with his hands clasped behind his back. "I'm disappointed, Robin. Your performance today was deplorable."

"Shut up, you condescending bastard," Robin seethed as he staggered to his feet. "I haven't fought anyone for years, of course I'm going to be a little rusty."

"Robin, if you were just a little rusty you would have at least been able to block me. This... this was just pathetic."

"Funny, I don't remember being that pathetic when I was smashing your face into the wall!" Robin growled and lunged at Slade, swinging his fists at the man. Slade effortlessly slapped Robin's hands aside and countered with a punch to the stomach.

Robin dropped to his knees, clutching his arms around himself as he fought for air.

"That was the serum, Robin, not you. You didn't even realize what you were doing."

"Well _I_ must have wanted it, because it was _my_ hand that broke your face," Robin rasped and managed to stand up with a slight wobble.

"Indeed," Slade grinned, revealing a row of perfectly aligned, white teeth, two of which were brand new. "I always knew you had it in you. In a few more years you might actually pose a threat." Slade spun his leg around, landing a kick to Robin's chest that cracked his sternum and ribs, and momentarily stopped his heart.

Robin went flying back and skidded across the floor. He curled in on himself, gasping for breath, and waited for the pain to subside. His wounds were taking longer to heal this time, a sign that he couldn't take much more.

Slade walked up to stand next to Robin. He dropped down to kneel on the floor next to the broken boy, resting a forearm on his knee. "Is this what you want, Robin? Do you want to spend every waking minute familiarizing yourself with the floor?"

"No," Robin croaked, glancing up at Slade from the corner of his eye. "No more."

"I warned you that this would be your hardest lesson."

Robin nodded.

"You could have ended this much sooner if it wasn't for your pride"

"Too stubborn," Robin added.

"There is no one around to judge you, Robin. Just give in. Accept your fate. I know you don't want to spend the rest of eternity bleeding all over the floor of this cave. End this lesson and you will be one step closer to earning your freedom."

Robin raised his eyebrows at that thought. He drew in a ragged breath and coughed, clutching at his chest.

"Look at you... exhausted, weak, broken... Is this what it takes to teach you a lesson?"

"No... You're just a bad teacher," Robin smirked.

Slade shook his head in disappointment. "Then you haven't learned a thing," he reached a hand for Robin's head, gripping a fistful of his hair.

"No, wait!" Robin raised a hand to grip Slade's wrist and cringed at the cracking sound that came from his ribs.

"Then tell me what you have you learned," Slade pulled Robin up by his hair to a sitting position before he released his grip.

Robin moved an arm to prop himself up so he didn't fall over. He was a little more level with Slade, though he was still smaller and had to look up to meet the man's gaze. "I learned that... you're a bigger bastard than I remembered, but... I can't deny that you are my better," he admitted quietly and averted his eyes.

Slade smirked. "Then say it. Say what I want to hear and your lesson will be over."

Robin bit his bottom lip. He thought back to all the criminals he had taken down when he was leader of the Titans, and the praise he had received from his friends and the Justice League. He remembered himself as Nightwing, singlehandedly watching over an entire city, then later when he filled in as Batman for a while...

One little word couldn't take that away from him.

He was stronger than this. He could do whatever needed to be done in order to return to the city to begin getting his life back. Fighting this was getting him nowhere. What was his pride when compared to his freedom?

Robin hung his head. He took in a shallow breath and whispered the word with its exhale. "Master," he breathed, closing his eyes against its meaning.

Slade gripped Robin's chin and tilted his face up, forcing Robin to meet his gaze. "Look at me when you say it. Acknowledge your place."

Robin blinked up at Slade, then his expression hardened with his resolve. "Yes, Master," he said with a firm and clear tone.

Slade smirked. "Good boy, Robin. It only took you almost all day, but you passed your first lesson." He stood and waited patiently for the boy to get to his feet.

Robin straightened and rubbed at the lingering pain in his chest. "I hate you so much right now," Robin seethed.

"I know it seems bad now, but it will get better with time."

"I never thought I'd miss my bad knees, failing senses and wrinkles so much. I liked it better when I was useless to you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Robin. You were never useless to me. You just took a little longer to come around," Slade reached out to ruffle Robin's hair and then he turned away, walking towards the kitchen. "Would you like something to eat before we get cleaned up?"

"Yeah, I'm starving, but first I really need to piss," Robin followed after Slade, but he stopped short when the man turned to glare at him over his shoulder.

"Try asking me properly, apprentice."

"Seriously?"

"Humor me," Slade's eye narrowed.

"Fine," Robin rolled his eyes. "May I take a piss, _Master_?"

"Not quite what I wanted to hear, but you may go," Slade smirked and turned towards the kitchen again, heading to a cupboard.

Robin hurried to the bathroom. He hopped a little bit while he fumbled with his zipper and then he let out a heavy sigh once he began to relieve himself. He glanced down and startled to see that his stream of urine was tinted red and had filled the toilet with a deep red-orange color.

"Damn it, Slade!" Robin cursed. When he was done in the bathroom, he walked out to return to the kitchen where Slade was waiting for him.

"That's damn it, _Master_," Slade raised an indignant brow and handed Robin a bag of trail mix. "Enlighten me as to why you were yelling my name while relieving yourself."

"I'm pissing blood," Robin answered, irritated.

"Is that all?" Slade chuckled. "You should be thanking me that I didn't give you a _real_ reason to curse my name."

"I'm sure I'll have plenty of those opportunities in the future," Robin glared and then held up the bag he was holding. "What's this?" he asked, eyeing the bag of dried fruit and nuts.

"Dinner. Now, let's get cleaned up, shall we?" Slade smiled and then turned away, walking towards the exit. "Come with me, apprentice."

"Where are we going?" Robin opened the bag and followed the man to the main door.

"It's a surprise."

"I hope it's more exciting than dinner," Robin grumbled.

"It is."

~oOo~

To be continued...

The surprise isn't really worthy of a cliffhanger. This was just a good place to stop.

I have some exciting ideas coming up, so bare with me during these rather cliché chapters. Things get more awesome when they get back to the city. Bye for now...


	7. Chapter 7

Hm, so updates are probably going to move to once a month. I am sad about this, because I am anxious to get certain scenes posted, but I have far too many responsibilities and not enough time in my day.

But, hey, think of it this way: You have to wait once a month for comic books to come out. Did that make it better? ...Yeah, I really hate waiting a whole month for the next issue too :/

Well, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Things get a little awkward ;)

~oOo~

Robin followed Slade outside into the jungle while he munched on his trail mix. The sun was low, hidden behind the trees, but it was still quite warm and humid outside.

Slade held a large branch aside for Robin and motioned for the teen to step ahead.

Robin emerged from the cluster of branches and his jaw fell open at the sight before him. There was a cascade of water spilling over the side of mossy green boulders down into a huge turquoise colored pool. It was all surrounded by giant leaves and flowers with twisting roots. The tree branches intertwined to form a tangled canopy above the large pool.

"It's beautiful," Robin whispered.

"Yes, drink it in," Slade stepped up beside Robin. "You won't have too many of these moments when you just feel happy to be alive... Hold on to it."

Robin glanced at Slade, caught off guard by the somewhat somber statement.

The man turned his head to meet Robin's gaze and he smirked through all the dried blood caked on his face. "And it feels even better than it looks," he said while lifting his hands to remove his armor.

Robin grinned and followed suit, unbuckling his armor and pulling his shirt off. They both dropped their pants at the same time and stepped right to the edge of the water. Slade dove in head first while Robin sprung up into the air to do a flip and then plunged into the pool feet first.

Slade emerged out in the center of the pool and ran his hand over his face, wiping away the remnants of his dried blood.

Robin popped up next to him with a wide grin. "This water is amazing!" the teen spoke while he swam in a wide circle around Slade. "I can't remember the last time I went swimming. If you would have told me we were going to do this, I would have called you Master a lot sooner... Wait, no, that's a lie. I really hate calling you that."

Slade chuckled. "I don't want you to be miserable _all_ the time, Robin. If you are a good boy, I will reward you and I think you will find that the benefits far outweigh the negatives."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "I'm not a dog, Slade. You can't condition me to accept all of this by rewarding me when I obey you. You want some advice? Just show me a little respect. Treat me like an equal instead of a subordinate. _Ask_ me to do something instead of demanding it and you and I will make it through this _deal_ with a hell of a lot less conflict."

"Oh?" Slade tilted his head, his broad shoulders flexing while he moved to tread water. "Let me give it a try... Robin, will you keep in mind that when I want your opinion I will ask for it? ...How was that?" the man deadpanned.

"You suck," Robin scowled. "I can't even get a 'please'?"

"Actually, you should be trying harder to please _me_. Remember to address me properly, apprentice," Slade smirked and moved to float on his back.

"Fine. You suck, _Master_," Robin glared.

"Well, how about that. It's working," Slade chuckled and closed his eye, letting the warm water support his weight while he relaxed. "Now, why don't you go swim a few laps to reacquaint yourself with the way your body is capable of moving... Maybe next time I kick your ass you will provide more of a challenge."

Robin glared at Slade for a moment then with a growl he dunked down under the surface and swam below Slade's floating body. He looked up at the silhouette of the unsuspecting man, planning his attack. For a moment he hesitated, not sure how the man would respond, but then he realized he didn't care and swiftly lunged up towards his target.

Slade's eye popped open just as an arm sprung up out of the water to wrap around his throat and pull him down under the water.

Robin swam with all of his strength, dragging Slade down into the deeper end of the pool before he could gain the upper hand, which happened all too soon when Robin felt the man's grip tighten around his wrist.

Robin made a quick get-a-way by spinning and somersaulting in the water to twist out of Slade's hold. Grinning, he kicked as hard as he could to avoid Slade's hands and was soon swimming away with everything he had.

Slade was close behind him, nearly grasping an ankle occasionally, but Robin was a strong little swimmer, twisting his lithe body in the water like a seal trying to evade the deadly teeth of a shark.

Robin swam towards the shore, deciding that he needed air and land seemed to be the safest place to ensure he would continue breathing for a little while at least. He dug his hands into the sand and lunged forward to get his legs out of the water, gasping in a lung full of air in the process, but a hand closed around his ankle stopping him short. He landed on his chest in the sand with a pained "umph."

Robin turned over and looked up to see Slade's very large and naked figure standing over him.

The man's eye narrowed. "If you had even the slightest advantage in the water, you shouldn't have given that up," Slade lectured. He leaned down to grab Robin's arm and leg and then he pulled Robin up while he spun around, sending the boy flying through the air towards the middle of the large pool.

"Aaah!" Robin yelled and managed to straighten out so he sliced into the water feet first. He quickly scrambled to the surface and gulped in air, choking on the water that had gone up his nose.

Slade popped up next to him and he yelped in surprise, but the man was smirking so the teen dropped his guard and scowled at him instead.

"I'm impressed, Robin. If you hadn't made the mistake of leading the hunt to dry land, I might not have been able to catch you."

Robin snorted. "Maybe _I'm_ not the one who needs to work on his moves," he smirked.

Slade reached a hand out for Robin's head and shoved him under water. "Don't push it," he warned when the teen resurfaced. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Robin brushed his hair back out of his face. "What?" he smirked. "You told me to go swim laps, and I did. I just got you to swim them with me."

Slade's eye narrowed. "Clever, boy," the man said with an otherwise blank expression.

Robin eyed the man skeptically. "Well, get on with it then," he demanded with a bitter tone.

Slade raised a questioning brow. "Get on with _what_?" he looked the teen up and down with a slight leer.

"My punishment. Aren't you going to drown me or something?"

Slade chuckled. "Drown you? For what? Did you do something you think you should be punished for? Perhaps, you were trying to drown _me_?"

"No... I just... I thought you would be more mad about me pulling you under?" Robin asked, not sure if he should have reminded the man. "I mean, in the old days I probably would have gotten a lecture on how vicious, dishonorable, and ruthless I was for sneaking up on you like that and then you would have held me under water until I apologized."

"Back then, that was what you needed. But we're not in the old days anymore, Robin. You have grown up. You have changed, and so have I."

"Or maybe you are still the same evil bastard you always were and you have just changed your strategy," Robin glared. "_Master,_" he added sardonically.

"Perhaps... But, if it will make you feel better, I can still force you to apologize," Slade moved his arms out to swim towards the teen.

Robin backed away in the water, swimming at Slade's pace to stay out of the man's reach. "I don't want to apologize," he scowled at the approaching man.

"Oh, I think you should," Slade quickened his pace. "Any disrespect or insubordination should be met with a punishment, or at least an apology. It will help you establish your place, and define your boundaries."

Robin's feet touched the sand at the shallow end of the pool and he stepped backwards up onto the shore. "What if I refuse to apologize to you?"

"Oh, I have ways of making you comply, Robin," Slade smirked, stepping out of the water to follow Robin onto the shore.

Robin backed up into a tree just as Slade closed in on him. Instinctively, he took a swing at the man, but Slade caught his wrist and pinned it against the tree above his head.

Slade leaned down closer to the boy's ear. "Unless," his voice dropped to an icy whisper, "you would prefer to be punished."

Slade's breath made Robin shiver and his own breathing quickened. Every nerve in his body seemed to come alive and the teen was suddenly, acutely aware of the change in the very air around them. Time seemed to slow as he inhaled the scent of the man. He could hear the rhythmic pounding of Slade's heartbeat and felt the warmth radiating off of the larger male's body.

"Stop," Robin gasped the word out, closing his eyes with the effort to regain control of himself.

Slade lifted a hand to Robin's chin and tilted the boy's face up. "But Robin, I'm not even doing anything... _Yet_."

Slade's warm breath danced over Robin's lips and his eyes popped open at the long-forgotten sensations that began to stir within him.

"You look confused, dear boy. What's the matter, you don't recognize the fight-or-flight response? The threat of imminent danger? The thrill of an impending attack? Or... is it something _else_ that's got your blood pumping?" Slade smiled knowingly.

Robin's face flushed and he suddenly felt too hot. His body wanted him to do something; to fight, or run, or... something else. He wasn't quite sure _what_ was happening, but when he felt heat beginning to pool low in his belly he knew he needed it to stop. Now.

"I'm sorry," Robin blurted out. "I apologize, just... stop, please," he looked up at the man pleadingly.

"Hmm," Slade hummed his amusement, smirking down at the flushed face of his apprentice. "Changed my strategy indeed," the man smirked, releasing Robin and stepping away.

Robin sank to his knees, feeling a little too exposed at the moment, while he watched Slade walk over to his discarded pile of clothes. The man pulled his pants and boots on, leaving his belt undone, and then gathered his shirt and armor under an arm. Then he turned to look over at Robin.

"You might want to wash the blood off of your uniform, seeing as to how it is the only set of clothes you have to wear out of here tomorrow. You can hang them inside to dry overnight." Slade turned away, heading back towards the cave. "Just don't stay out after dark. There is a female jaguar nearby who would love to take you home to meet her cubs," the man chuckled as he walked off.

Robin frowned in confusion, watching Slade leave, and wondered how the evil bastard could switch gears so fast. One minute he was doing... whatever it was he was doing, and the next he's acting like nothing even happened. Did he even know what he was putting Robin through?

Robin's frown twisted into a glare. Of course Slade knew. "He's using my heightened senses against me," he muttered to himself as he got to his feet. He looked down at his hands and clenched his fists. "I'm going to have to get my body under control if I want to stop him from being able to take advantage of me... In more ways than one," Robin shot a glare in the direction of the cave.

He stepped over to his pile of clothes and pulled his pants on, but he took Slade's advice and washed everything else in the pool. He gathered the wet bundle in his arms and headed back towards the cave.

Slade had left the main doors open and after Robin passed through them they slid shut behind him, making him jump in surprise. He glanced around the cave, but didn't see Slade anywhere. Shrugging, Robin walked over to the railing next to the Lazerus Pit and draped his wet clothes over it, figuring that the warmth from the pit would dry the material by morning.

Robin yawned and made his way to the bedroom, deciding that he would rather avoid Slade entirely and just go to bed, however when he pushed the bedroom door open, his eyes widened at the sight of the shirtless man sitting up in bed reading through a file of papers.

"Ready for bed?" Slade glanced at Robin and returned to reading, although a small smirk had tugged at his lips.

Robin's shoulders slumped and he walked over to his side of the bed. "There's no way around this is there?" he sighed.

"Not unless you want to sleep on the floor," Slade answered without looking up from his papers.

"Are you sure you can't stay up one more night so I can have the bed to myself?"

"I've been up for almost an entire week already, preparing everything for your big day, Robin."

"All that preparation and you didn't think to at least grab an air mattress?" Robin retorted, his tone laced with irritation.

Slade looked up with an annoyed glare. "Careful, boy. Keep up that disrespectful tone and you'll find yourself sleeping outside with the predators."

Robin opened his mouth to snap back at the man about which predators he would rather be sleeping with, but the man arched a brow in warning and Robin decided to let out a sigh instead. Good thing too, because Robin realized his "sleeping with predators" comment might not have sounded the way he had intended it to. His cheeks reddened and he turned to the side, hoping Slade didn't notice.

He looked around the room for his shirt and sweat pants he had worn to bed the night before. "Where's those other clothes I slept in?"

"Gone. We can't leave behind any evidence that we were here."

"Great. Well, do you have anything else I can sleep in?" Robin asked, not happy with the idea of having to sleep in his uniform pants and even less happy with the idea of sleeping naked.

"There's a shirt in one of the drawers," Slade answered absentmindedly while he finished his reading.

Robin opened the dresser drawers until he found the large white shirt. He put it on and then took his pants off before he pulled the covers back and climbed into bed. He laid on his side with his back to Slade, trying to ignore the sense of danger that wouldn't stop running up and down his spine.

Slade set his papers down on the table next to the bed and turned the lamp off. He stretched out on his side with his back to Robin as well and closed his eye.

"So, did you let your shady helicopter people know that we'll be ready to leave tomorrow?"

Slade sighed and opened his eye. "No, there was no need. The pick-up time was already established before you and I even boarded my jet to fly out here," the man smirked, knowing very well that his words were going to make Robin bristle.

And bristle Robin did. "Next time you want me to do something, I am going to take a whole extra week to comply, just to throw you off."

"I will account for that as well," Slade shrugged. "But honestly Robin, even _you_ knew that it wasn't going to take more than a day for you to give in. You're too anxious to return to civilization and see what your younger body can do."

"Hmph," Robin snorted bitterly. "Doesn't mean I like knowing that you've already planned out everything I'm going to do."

"You don't like that you've become predictable in your old age?"

"I don't _like_ that your evil schemes are unfolding just as you planned."

"You don't know that _everything_ is unfolding according to plan. I certainly wasn't _planning_ on getting my face smashed into a wall today."

Robin snorted again, but this time in amusement. "Were you recording that on a hidden camera by the way? I would really like to have a copy of that footage."

"No," Slade stated simply.

"No it wasn't recorded, or no I can't have a copy?"

"Either, or both. Pick one."

Robin let out a heavy sigh and for a moment he stayed quiet, breathing slow and even. Slade closed his eye, thinking that the boy was starting to doze off, but then he spoke.

"Slade," Robin said, quietly.

"Hm?" Slade opened his eye again, staring into the darkness.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"I suppose so, although I may not feel inclined to answer it."

"Ok, well I know what you're going to say, but I'm going to ask it anyway... Bruce just recently passed away, but you had clothes here for me, in this size..."

Slade's eye shifted in Robin's direction. "That's not a question."

"How long have these clothes been here?"

"That's an odd way of asking how long I've been planning this," Slade pointed out in a flat tone.

"How long?"

"The clothes have been here for quite sometime. Waiting for the right moment. But don't worry, they're clean. I switch them out for fresh ones from time to time."

"How many years, Slade?"

"Oh, about twelve years now."

Robin was quiet for a moment. "All of this preparation and time must have cost you."

"It paid off in the end," the man chuckled darkly.

"But what if I would have refused you? What would you have done if I said no?"

"Ah, _now_ we're getting somewhere. I am curious, though, what it is you think I am going to say."

"I asked you first."

"And _I_ am your Master, so you will answer _me_ first."

"Never mind then. Forget I said anything."

"No, clearly this has been on your mind and if you won't admit to what you are thinking, then I will _tell_ you what you are thinking. You think that I wouldn't have accepted your refusal. You are doubting that you ever really had any choice in the matter."

"Well, did I?"

"Yes, Robin. The choice was yours to make. I would not have forced you to come here if you chose to follow Bruce's path to the grave. I would have respected your decision."

"But, all your preparation, your time and money. I don't believe you would have just thrown it all away if I had chosen death instead."

"What is time and money to someone who has a never ending supply of it? However, you are failing to see the bigger picture here, so I'm going to let you in on a little secret: You wouldn't have denied me forever, my boy. If you would have refused my offer_ this_ time, I would have waited until you were ready. Eventually you would have agreed to come with me. You would have signed your life over to me just as eagerly as you did aboard my jet. I would have owned your ass sooner or later, Robin. It was just a matter of time."

Robin's eyes had widened, staring out at nothing in the darkness. He didn't know what to say. His first thought was to be angry, but he realized he wasn't mad at Slade. He was mad at himself, because Slade was right. Robin had the free will to choose his own fate, but both he and Slade knew that there really was no other option for him. The choice had been his to make, but his decision was already made the day Slade procured the Lazerus Pit.

"Goodnight, Robin. Sleep tight," Slade said through a sinister smirk and closed his eye.

~o~

Four hours later, Slade was laying on his back with his hands behind his head and a knee raised up, tenting the blankets. He stared up at the ceiling through the darkness. He was tired, but he couldn't sleep. It had been too many years since he shared a bed with anyone (for the purpose of sleeping, anyway) and every movement Robin made, every twitch, every breath, and every moan distracted the man and kept him from falling asleep.

It wasn't entirely Robin's fault, although Slade wanted to blame his inability to relax in the boy's presence on that pheromone problem of his. However, Slade knew his body had changed even more over the years and he didn't require as much sleep anymore. He could go weeks without food, or water, or rest, and even longer without human contact.

One year, he had gotten so bored that he decided to immerse himself in the wilds of Africa until he felt something again; anything, he didn't care what, whether it was the thrill of the hunt, fear, sorrow, joy, regret... it didn't matter. But, he had stayed until his clothes had been worn to shreds and he never once felt a thing. Not even when he lead a poacher into a den of lions and watched them rip him apart. He felt nothing.

Slade knew then that he was more like a machine than a human. The perfect soldier. Exactly what the government wanted. Methodical, mechanical, indifferent, and content with being alone.

Robin mumbled something and Slade's eye shifted in the boy's direction. He smirked to himself. Well, there was always Robin... The last link he had to his past, back when he used to feel things like pride, purpose, and desire. The long lost piece of his humanity. Something he thought was dead and gone, but the boy was able to bring it out of him. And oddly enough, Slade had missed it.

"Mmph... nnoo," Robin groaned in his sleep and rolled onto his side, facing Slade.

Slade closed his eye, resting quietly while he listened to Robin's mumbled words. The boy had been talking in his sleep off and on for the past few hours.

"Ugh... nnnoo... Slade."

The man's eye popped open and he turned his head in Robin's direction.

"No... mmmore... please," the teen moaned.

The boy started gasping quietly, almost as if he were panting. Slade arched a brow. Was Robin running from him in his dream?

"Don't... Stop... ughnn," Robin panted the words out.

"Oh, I won't," Slade chuckled quietly.

"Please... Master," Robin whimpered.

"If only you would beg like that when you're awake."

"Can't... hold... onn, ugh." Robin mumbled, but Slade was able to make the words out.

"Then don't," Slade spoke with a sinister whisper. "Let go," he chuckled darkly.

"Mmm... Ahh... Yes!... SLADE!" Robin shouted, waking himself up just as his dream reached its climax, which also happened to manifest itself into a physical climax that left Slade with something rather sticky and wet running down his side.

Robin sat up with a gasp and frantically looked around in the darkness, forgetting where he was. "What the hell?" he blurted out.

"Indeed," Slade agreed.

"Slade?" Robin asked, still a little confused about what had just happened. Then his eyes widened with the sudden realization. "Holy shit, did...? Did I just...?"

"Well, at least it was good for _you_," Slade said in a rather bored tone from where he was still laying on his side of the bed.

Robin felt his face flush in embarrassment and he was thankful the room was dark enough to hide it. "Damn it, I can't believe this. Hell, why did I let you do this to me?" he groaned, covering his face with a hand.

"I'm not sure why, but you seemed to like it. It would appear my reputation precedes me, even in sleep." Slade tossed the blankets aside and swung his feet over the edge of the bed.

"No, I mean making me a teenager again and... Wait, what do you mean your "reputation"? What did you hear? Did I say anything?"

"Besides begging me not to stop and then yelling my name when you came all over me? No, nothing important," the man stood up and walked to the door.

Robin flopped back in bed and covered his face with his hands. "God, if you exist, please just take me now," he groaned.

"Tempting, but I could really use a shower first," Slade pulled the door open. "Go back to sleep, Robin. We'll discuss this later."

"Do we really need to bring this up ever again?" Robin asked, still hiding behind his hands.

"No, we don't _need _to, Robin... but that doesn't mean I won't," Slade chuckled as he left, closing the door behind him.

~oOo~

To be continued...

Poor Robin. I felt bad for him a little bit. It must suck being a teenage boy with enhanced senses and an abnormally high amount of hormones.

Please review really quick and let me know what you think. Did you like it, hate it, or have no opinion? Please let me know. And thank you so much for stopping by :)

Oh, and here's a little synopsis of the next chapter, because I feel bad about making you guys wait so long for an update.

Next Chapter: Will Robin and Slade finally leave the cave and return to the city? Yes, they will. And Robin couldn't be happier about getting out there and enjoying a little free time. But, he might be disappointed to find out that just because he's not stuck in a cave with Slade anymore, that doesn't mean he isn't still trapped with the man.


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